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OF  CALIFORNIA 

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MEMOIR 

OF     THE 

REV.  EBENEZER  HILL, 

PASTOR    OF    THE 

CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH, 

I  N 

MASON,     N.     H. 

FROM   NOVEMBER,    1790,   TO   MAY,    1854. 

WITH    SOME    OF    HIS    SERMONS, 


AND   HIS  DISCOURSE  ON  THE 


HISTORY  OF  THE  TOWN. 


JOHN  B.   HILL. 


BOSTON: 
LUCIUS    A.    ELLIOT    &    CO. 

D.   BUGBEE   &   CO.,   BANGOR. 
1858. 


PRINTED   BY   SAMUEL   S.    SMITHj 
BANQOB,     ME. 


F 


PREFACE. 


To  write  the  biography  of  a  parent,  is  a  delicate  task.  It 
has  not  been  undertaken  in  the  present  instance,  without  a 
full  appreciation  of  the  difficulties  in  its  accomplishment. 
Neither  the  feelings  ofvthe  writer,  nor  the  proprieties  of  the 
occasion,  would  permit  any  other  tone  than  that  of  eulogy. 
My  endeavor  has  been  in  this  sketch,  to  exhibit  fairly,  the 
prominent  traits  of  the  character  and  incidents  of  the  life  of 
my  father,  especially  in  their  effects  upon  the  church  and  peo- 
ple of  his  charge ;  and  in  doing  so,  I  am  not  conscious  that  I 
have  stepped  beyond  the  line  of  propriety,  either  in  the 
exhibition  of  commendable  traits,  or  in  the  concealment  or 
suppression  of  faults  or  imperfections.  For  the  main  body 
of  this  sketch,  I  am  indebted  to  my  brother,  the  Rev.  T.  Hill, 
of  Saint  Louis,  Mo. 

The  discourse  upon  leaving  the  Old  Meeting  House,  is 
printed  from  a  manuscript  transcribed  from  the  original,  soon 
after  it  was  delivered.  The  other  discourses,  are  reprints  of 
the  first  edition,  with  no  change,  but  the  correction  of  manifest 
errors.  The  portrait  accompanying  this  volume,  is  engraved 
from  a  painting  made  at  the  age  of  about  seventy  years. 
The  engraved  page  of  a  sermon,  is  a  fac  simile  of  the  ser- 
mon preached  at  the  dedication  of  the  meeting  house,  in 

1795. 

J.  B.  HILL. 

BANGOR,  May  1,  1858. 


MEMOIE. 


"  Every  man's  life  is  of  importance  to  himself,  to  his  family,  to  his  friends, 
to  his  country,  and  in  the  sight  of  God.  They  are  by  no  means  the  best  men, 
who  have  made  most  noise  in  the  world ;  neither  are  those  actions  most 
deserving  of  praise,  which  have  obtained  the  greatest  show  of  fame.  Scenes 
of  violence  and  blood,  the  workings  of  ambition,  pride  and  revenge,  compose 
the  annals  of  men.  But  piety  and  purity, .  temperance  and  humility,  which 
are  little  noted  and  soon  forgotten  of  the  world,  are  held  in  everlasting  remem- 
brance before  God."  Hunter's  Sacred  Biography,  vol.  1,  p.  24. 

No  two  men  have  ever  existed,  whose  lives  were,  in  all 
respects,  exact  counterparts  of  each  other.  Every  human 
being,  is  thoroughly  individualized  by  his  own  will,  and  has  a 
history  that  is  peculiar  to  himself,  which  can  never  be  so 
blended  with  that  of  another,  as  not  to  possess  points  of 
interest,  in  contrast,  to  attentive  observers.  No  two  persons 
can  be  found,  whose  physical  endowments  are  not  such  as  to 
render  them  distinguishable  by  their  intimate  friends.  So 
also,  a  marked  distinction  will  be  found  in  the  mental  powers, 
the  modes  of  thought,  and  manner  of  action  of  individuals 
most  closely  resembling  each  other.  Each,  in  all  these 
respects,  will  have  traits  in  a  good  degree  original  and  pecu- 
liar to  himself.  Hence,  the  faithful  portraiture  of  the  char- 
acter of  any  individual  will  afford  instruction  to  others. 
They  will  recognize  in  it,  situations  similar  to  their  own,  and 
by  observing  how  difficulties  have  been  overcome,  and  trials 
borne,  or  how  temptations  have  led  to  .ruin,  they  may  be 
encouraged  to  struggle  for  victory,  and  shun  the  path  which 
led  another  to  destruction, 
2 


6  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

If  it  be  true,  that  every  man  is  so  individualized  as  to  ren- 
der his  real  life  instructive  to  others,  it  is  peculiarly  so,  with 
the  life  of  a  Christian ;  for  with  him  a  new  element  of  power 
is  introduced,  and  grace  controls  and  silently  renovates  the 
man,  evolving  its  own  light  from  the  darkness  of  nature,  and 
so  moulding  the  original  elements,  that  upon  all  is  cnstamped 
the  glorious  image  of  Jesus,  and  the  man  is  formed  anew,  and 
fitted  for  heaven. 

Could  the  real  life  of  any  Christian  be  written,  it  would 
form  a  most  interesting  volume,  and  it  would  matter  little, 
what  position  in  life  the  subject  of  it  might  have  occupied. 
The  life  of  Moses  is  rich  and  varied,  but  the  simple  sketch  of 
Lazarus,  sitting  at  the  rich  man's  gate, — dying  alone,  and 
borne  by  angels  to  Abraham's  bosom,  has  a  touching  beauty, 
equalling  in  interest  anything  found  in  that  of  the  law-giver. 

If  these  views  are  correct,  the  life  of  any  earnest,  success- 
ful preacher  of  the  gospel,  must  have  an  intrinsic  interest  in 
whatever  station  his  lot  has  been  cast.  He  may  not  have 
been  as  eloquent  as  Whitfield,  as  deep  a  theologian  as  Ed- 
wards, nor  have  possessed  the  finished  grandeur  of  Robert 
Hall;  but  he  has  fought  a  good  fight  himself,  has  pointed 
many  sinners  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the 
sins  of  the  world ;  and  trained  many  souls  for  immortality, 
and  fitted  them  for  heaven.  The  memory  of  such  a  man  is 
enshrined  in  the  best  affections  of  many  who  have  felt  always 
his  influence,  and  a  view  of  his  life  will  furnish  them,  and 
others  also,  with  new  motives  for  leading  a  life  of  faith. 

Such  was  the  humble,  earnest  life  of  him,  of  whose  history 
and  character,  it  is  proposed  here  to  give  a  brief  outline. 
His  was  the  quiet  life  of  a  retired  pastor  of  a  country 
churcli ;  of  one,  whose  highest  ambition  it  was,  to  be  a  faith- 
ful preacher  of  the  gospel,  to  those  whom  God  had  placed 
under  his  care.  It  is  the  object  of  this  sketch,  to  enable 
those  who  read  it,  to  form  a  distinct  idea  of  his  individual 
character,  of  his  manner  of  life,  and  of  the  general  results  of 
his  labors ;  and  the  many  friends  who  revered  and  loved  him 


BEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  7 

while  living,  to  preserve  a  fresh  and  vivid  memory  of  their 
departed  pastor,  counselor  and  friend. 

Ebenezer  Hill,  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  was  born  in 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  January  31st,  1766.  He  was  the  youngest 
son  of  Samuel  Hill  and  Sarah  Cutler,  his  wife.  His  father 
was  born  in  Boston,  but  of  his  parentage  and  ancestry, 
nothing  is  certainly  known.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
but  never  rose  above  the  condition  of  the  most  humble 
poverty.  He  served  as  a  common  soldier,  in  the  war  of  the 
revolution,  and  returned  to  Cambridge  at  its  close,  to  resume 
his  occupation  as  a  carpenter.  After  his  son  Samuel  settled 
in  Mason,  he  came  to  that  place,  and  resided  there  with  him, 
most  of  the  time,  till  the  close  of  his  life.  He  died  at  Mason, 
June  21st,  1798,  aged  about  sixty-six  years.  His  mother, 
Sarah  Cutler,  was  born  in  the  year  1733,  in  what  was,  April 
24th,  1746,  incorporated  as  the  second  precinct  of  Concord, 
and  afterwards  on  the  19th  of  April,  1754,  incorporated  as  a 
town  by  the  name  of  Lincoln.  Her  father,  Ebenezer  Cutler, 
was  one  of  the  petitioners  for  the  incorporation  of  the  pre- 
cinct. She  was  a  woman  of  great  energy.  With  very  scanty 
means,  and,  in  a  great  measure,  with  the  labor  of  her  own 
hands,  she  provided  for  the  support,  training  and  education 
of  her  children.  In  October,  1781,  she  purchased  a  lot  of 
land  in  Cambridge,  thirty  feet  square,  for  the  price  of  "nine 
pounds,  twelve  shillings,  lawful  money  of  this  Common- 
wealth." It  is  described  in  the  deed,  as  lying  "on  the  north 
side  of  the  house  of  Moses  and  William  Boardman,  deceased; 
on  the  road  leading  to  Lexington."  It  was  about  one  mile 
northerly  of  the  colleges.  Upon  this  plot,  she  placed  a 
small  cottage  house,  in  which  she  and  her  family  resided. 
The  building  was  a  portion  of  barracks  occupied  by  the  Rev- 
olutionary army,  when  stationed  at  Cambridge.  The  land 
was  appraised  by  three  disinterested  persons,  in  June,  1796, 
at  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars.  It  undoubtedly  com- 
prised, at  that  time,  the  principal  part  of  the  family  estate. 
About  the  year  1790,  she  went  to  Mason,  and  resided  there 


MEMOIR   OP   THE 

with  her  son  Ebenezer,  until  the  close  of  her  life.  She  died 
December  30th,  1808,  aged  seventy-five  years. 

Two  sons,  Samuel  and  Ebenezer,  were  their  only  children. 
Samuel,  the  eldest,  was  born  in  1764.  He  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  followed  that  occupation  through  life.  It 
seems  that  the  brothers  at  an  early  period,  formed  the  reso- 
lution to  fix  their  residence  in  the  same  town.  Samuel  writes 
to  Ebenezer  from  Goshcn,  Vermont,  under  date  of  November 
24th,  1787,  as  follows:  "If  things  will  permit,  as  you  wrote 
to  me  about  our  living  in  one  town,  I  hope,  that  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  we  shall ;  but  when,  I  know  not,  but  must 
wait  God's  own  due  time."  This  purpose,  so  early  formed, 
was  accomplished.  Samuel  came  to  reside  in  Mason,  proba- 
bly, in  the  year  1792.  He  was  certainly  resident  there  early 
in  1793,  and  there  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  a 
useful,  industrious  man,  noted  for  sterling  integrity  and  inde- 
pendence of  character;  a  good  husband,  father,  and  citizen. 
He  died  May  23d,  1813,  aged  forty-nine  years.  His  first 
wife  was  Dorcas  Wyeth,  born  in  Cambridge.  She  died  at 
Mason,  January  19th,  1807,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven  years. 

His  second  wife,  was  Mary  Adams,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  Adams,  born  in  Mason,  August  llth,  1780.  They  were 
married  in  September,  1809.  This  wife  survived  him,  and  is 
still  (January,  1858)  living  in  widowhood,  at  Mason. 

Ebenezer,  the  second  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah,  was  the 
favorite  son  of  his  mother.  By  the  devotion,  on  her  part, 
of  all  her  means  to  that  end,  he  was  prepared  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years,  to  enter  Harvard  college.  His  preparatory 
studies  were  pursued  at  the  grammar  school  in  Cambridge, 
under  the  tuition  among  other  teachers,  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Bancroft,  of  Worcester,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Kendall,  of  Newton. 
Students  were  then  admitted  to  the  college,  upon  a  personal 
examination  into  their  literary  qualifications,  made  by  the 
officers  of  the  college  ;  and  if  found  by  them  to  be  sufficiently 
grounded  in  the  requisite  preparatory  studies,  and  to  furnish 
the  proper  testimonials  of  moral  character,  their  names  were 


REV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  9 

entered  upon  the  books  of  the  steward  as  students,  on  their 
producing  the  bond,  and  making  the  payments  required  by 
the  college  laws.  A  printed  extract  from  these  laws,  was 
delivered  to  the  student,  whose  examination  had  been  found 
to  be  satisfactory,  pointing  out  what  further  was  required  to 
be  done  on  his  part,  before  he  could  become  a  member  of 
the  college.  This  document,  as  well  as  the  bond  he  gave, 
was  found  carefully  preserved,  among  his  papers.  It  is 
thought  that  as  a  matter  of  curiosity,  and  as  illustrating  the 
manners  of  the  times,  most  readers  of  this  book,  will  feel 
interest  enough  in  the  subject,  at  least  to  excuse  its  insertion. 
It  is  as  follows : 

"Extract  from  the  second  and  third  laws  of  Chapt.  1st,  of 
the  College  Laws. 

CHAP.  I.    PART  OP  LAW  2D. 

"  The  Parents  or  Guardians  of  those  who  have  been 
approved  on  Examination,  or  some  other  person,  shall  pay 
three  pounds  to  the  Steward,  towards  defraying  their  College 
Charges ;  also,  give  bond  to  the  Steward,  with  one  or  more 
Sureties  to  his  Satisfaction,  in  the  sum  of  two  hundred  ounces 
of  silver,  to  pay  College  Dues  Quarterly,  as  they  are  charged 
in  the  Quarter  Bills,  Viz :  the  Stewards,  Glaziers  and  Sweep- 
ers. And  in  case  of  Death  or  Removal  before  College 
Charges  arise,  to  the  sum  of  three  pounds,  the  Steward  shall 
return  the  remainder  to  the  person  who  gave  the  bond." 

In  the  original  paper  the  sums  expressed  were  "thirty  shil- 
lings," which  was  erased,  and  "three  pounds"  inserted;  and 
"Forty  pounds"  erased,  and  "two  hundred  ounces  of  silver" 
inserted;  and  "thirty  shillings"  erased,  and  "three  pounds" 
inserted. 

"Part  of  Law  3d.  Every  one  that  has  jDeen  accepted,  shall, 
as  soon  as  may  be,  exhibit  to  the  President,  a  Certificate  of 
the  Steward,  that  the  foregoing  rules  have  been  complied 
with.  Upon  the  receipt  of  which,  the  President  shall  sign  an 


10  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

Order  for  the  Admission  of  such  Person,  in  the  following 

words : 

Cantabrigia?  Augusti. 

Addmittatur  in  Collegium  Harvardinum.     A.  B. 

Praeses. 

And  the  Order  shall  be  kept  on  File  by  the  Steward.  And 
no  one  shall  be  allowed  to  take  Possession  of  any  chamber 
in  the  College,  or  receive  the  Instructions  of  that  Society,  or 
be  considered  a  member  thereof,  until  he  has  been  admitted 
according  to  the  form  prescribed." 

This  paper  is  dated  July  19th,  1782.  At  the  foot,  is  a 
memorandum  in  the  hand-writing  of  Joseph  Willard,  the 
president,  and  signed  by  him  as  follows : 

"  The  above  alterations  were  made  in  conformity  to  a  late 
order  of  the  Government  of  the  College. 

J.  WILLARD,  Presdt." 

Upon  the  first  page  of  the  same  sheet,  is  the  admittatur  in 
the  words  following : 

"FORM   OF   ADMISSION. 

"  Cantabrigiae  Julii  13°  1782.  Admittatur  in  Collegium 
Harvardinum  Ebcnezer  Hill. 

JOSEPHUS  WILLARD,  Praeses." 

The  bond  required,  was  signed  by  his  mother's  brothers, 
Elisha  Cutler  of  Waltham,  yeoman,  and  Jonas  Cutler  of 
Groton,  shop-keeper,  and  is  dated  August  13th,  1782. 

He  thus  become  a  member  of  this  venerable  and  useful  insti- 
tution, and  supported  by  the  exertions  of  his  mother,  and  his 
expenses  borne,  in  part,  by  the  aid  furnished  by  funds  liber- 
ally and  thoughtfully  contributed  by  benevolent  persons,  to 
enable  students  in  want  of  pecuniary  means  to  pursue  their 
studies,  he  completed  his  college  course  with  commendable 
diligence,  and  a  fair  exhibition  of  scholarly  attainments,  but 
without  displaying  any  striking  traits  of  character,  or  meet- 
ing with  any  note-worthy  incidents ;  a  sample  of  that  class  of 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  11 

industrious,  persevering  and  conservative  students  and  pro- 
fessional men,  who  have  contributed  in  no  small  degree,  to 
make  the  character  of  the  New  England  people  and  their 
institutions,  what  it  has  been,  and,  it  is  hoped,  will  continue 
to  be,  for  all  coming  time. 

Of  his  student  life,  few  memorials  remain;  but  these  are 
enough  to  prove  it  to  have  been  both  pleasant  and  profitable. 
He  always  spoke  of,  it  as  if  the  associations  connected  with  it 
were  agreeable,  and  there  remain  indications  of  his  progress, 
which  shew  that  it  must  have  been  with  him  a  time  of  indus- 
try, and  of  creditable  success.  His  knowledge  of  the  Latin 
language,  was  quite  accurate,  and  he  retained  his  fondness  for 
that  noble  speech  until  his  old  age. 

While  in  college,  he  acquired  a  habit  of  exactness  which 
remained  with  him  through  life.  His  penmanship,  which  was 
always  singularly  uniform,  close  and  beautiful,  was  early 
acquired.  A  blot  or  illegible  word,  or  word  misspelt,  will 
hardly  be  found  in  all  his  manuscripts,  which  are  very 
numerous,  embracing  a  period  of  more  than  seventy  years. 
There  is  no  difficulty,  in  recognizing  the  same  beautiful  hand 
through  the  entire  period.  A  sample  of  his  hand-writing, 
being  a  fac  simile  of  a  page  of  one  of  his  sermons,  will  be 
found  among  the  illustrations  of  this  work. 

There  is  now,  in  the  possession  of  the  writer,  a  manuscript 
book  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  foolscap  pages,  containing  a 
system  of  mathematics,  as  taught  while  he  was  a  member  of 
the  college,  being,  in  fact,  the  exercises  required  to  be 
wrought  out  by  the  student,  in  that  branch  of  study ;  embrac- 
ing arithmetic,  algebra,  geometry,  surveying,  drawing,  &c., 
all  written  and  executed  with  the  most  singular  neatness 
and  care.  The  diagrams  are  drawn  with  great  beauty  and 
accuracy,  and  some  of  them  are  carefully  and  tastefully 
colored.  There  is,  also,  in  the  same  possession,  a  letter 
written  on  his  eightieth  birth-day,  which,  when  compared 
with  the  manuscript  book,  shews  the  same  hand  almost 
unchanged.  Nor  did  it  ever  change,  until  his  powers  so 


12  MEMOIK   OP   THE 

failed  that  his  trembling  hand  no  longer  obeyed  his  will,  and 
the  feeble  lines  traced  by  it,  too  plainly  showed  the  decay  of 
old  age. 

He  graduated  at  the  commencement,  in  178G.  Among  his 
class-mates  were  the  Hon.  Timothy  Bigclow,  many  years 
speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives,  of  Massachusetts ; 
Rev.  Alden  Bradford,  secretary  of  the  commonwealth,  and 
author  of  a  valuable  history  of  the  state ;  Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Har- 
ris, president  of  Columbia  College ;  Hon.  John  Lowell, 
distinguished  as  a  jurist,  a  politician,  a  controversial  writer 
and  an  agriculturalist ;  Hon.  Isaac  Parker,  chief  justice  of  the 
supreme  judicial  court  of  Massachusetts ;  and  Thomas  W. 
Thompson,  and  Christopher  Grant  Champlin,  members  of  the 
house  of  representatives  and  of  the  senate  of  the  United 
States.  Of  his  intimate  friends  in  the  class,  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Norton,  formerly  of  Weymouth,  survived  him.  He  died  at 
Billerica,  where  the  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent,  January 
17th,  1858,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three  years,  eleven  months, 
five  days,  being,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  the  oldest  surviv- 
ing graduate  of  Harvard  College. 

There  is  a  fact  worthy  of  a  moment's  notice,  as  an  indica- 
tion of  the  comparative  longevity  of  the  New  England  clergy. 
In  his  class,  the  number  of  graduates  was  forty-five.  Ten  of 
these  were  clergymen.  When  the  triennial  catalogue  of 
1839  was  published,  but  fifteen  of  this  class  were  living,  and 
of  that  number,  seven  were  clergymen.  As  another  indica- 
tion of  the  same  fact,  it  is  worthy  of  note,  that  on  the  first 
day  of  May,  1854,  there  were  residing  in  the  state  of  New 
Hampshire,  within  a  distance  not  exceeding  in  all  fifteen 
miles  of  each  other,  three  congregational  clergymen,  whose 
united  ages  would  make  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  years ; 
Rev.  Laban  Ainsworth  of  Jaffrey,  at  the  age  of  ninety-seven, 
Rev.  Gad  Newell,  of  Nelson,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three,  Rev. 
Ebenezer  Hill,  of  Mason,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years ; 
all  of  them  enjoying  a  comfortable  measure  of  health,  and 
all  of  them  residing  in  the  town  and  society  in  which  they 


EEV.    EBENEZER    HILL.  13 

were  originally  settled  in  the  ministry ;  Mr.  Ainsworth  having 
passed  his  one  hundredth,  and  Mr.  Newell  his  ninety-sixth 
year,  still  (January,  1858)  survive.  Another  remarkable 
instance  of  the  longevity  of  the  clergymen  of  that  time  and 
region,  is  presented  in  the  fact,  that  in  February,  1858,  there 
were  living,  four  graduates  of  Dartmouth  college,  whose 
united  ages  exceeded  four  hundred  years ;  viz :  the  Rev.  John 
Sawyer,  D.  D.,  of  Bangor,  Maine,  one  hundred  and  two  years 
and  four  months,  the  Rev.  Laban  Ainsworth,  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H., 
one  hundred  years,  seven  months,  the  Rev.  Ethan  Osborn,  of 
Fairton,  N.  J.,  ninety-nine  years,  five  months,  and  the  Rev. 
Zachariah  Greene,  of  Hampstead,  L.  I.,  ninety-nine  years,  one 
month;  all  undoubtedly  natives  of  New  England. 

Soon  after  graduating,  in  the  autumn  of  1786,  he  com- 
menced school-teaching  in  Westford.  He  remained  there,  and 
in  that  employment,  about  two  years.  Here  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  with  his  first  wife,  Mary  Boynton,  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  Boynton,  and  Rebecca  (Barrett)  his  wife.  While 
residing  at  Westford,  he  seems  to  have  finally  determined  on, 
and  made  choice  of  the  gospel  ministry,  as  his  profession 
and  business  in  life.  In  a  letter  from  his  friend  and  class- 
mate, Tapley  Wyeth,  dated  June  9th,  1787,  occurs  this  sen- 
tence. "I  am  glad  to  hear  you  are  determined  on  the  study 
of  divinity ;  the  prospects  are  bright,  when  compared  with 
those  of  the  other  learned  professions."  This,  to  be  sure, 
was  a  very  mundane  view  of  the  subject,  but  it  was  one  per- 
fectly in  accordance  with  the  notions  on  this  question,  by 
many  entertained  at  that  period.  With  the  subject  of  this 
memoir,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  that  the  considerations 
finally  inducing  him  to  the  adoption  of  this  line  of  life,  were 
of  a  much  more  grave,  serious  and  appropriate  character. 
The  citation  is  made,  rather  to  show  that  at  this  early  period 
he  had  made  known  to  his  friend,  his  determination  to  adopt 
the  clerical  profession,  rather  than  to  indicate  his  ultimate 
inducements  to  that  choice. 

It  was,  in  those  days,  customary  for  young  men  soon  after, 
3 


14  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

if  not  before,  graduating,  to  make  choice  of  a  professional  life 
according  to  their  several  tastes.  It  was  not  then,  as  now, 
among  the  clergy  calling  themselves  orthodox,  deemed  an 
essential  qualification,  before  commencing  the  study  of  theol- 
ogy, that  the  student  should  possess  and  profess  personal 
piety,  and  manifest  it  by  uniting  with  some  church ;  but  the 
embryo  preacher  chose  his  profession,  undoubtedly  in  most 
instances,  with  serious  reflection  and  consideration ;  and 
acquired  his  piety  and  religious  experience,  not  before,  but 
after  he  commenced  his  theological  studies.  Whether  Mr.  Hill's 
thoughts  were  turned  in  this  direction,  before,  or  soon  after 
graduating,  is  not  now  known,  but  it  is  understood  that  he  had 
in  his  own  mind,  made  choice  of  this  wralk  in  life,  before  he 
was  the  subject  of  any  personal  religious  impressions.  While 
engaged  in  his  duties  as  a  teacher  at  Westford.  the  thought 
occurred  to  him,  when  contemplating  his  purpose  of  a  clerical 
life,  how  inconsistent  it  would  be  for  him  to  undertake  to 
teach  others  the  way  of  life,  and  become  their  spiritual  guide, 
when  he  was  himself  ignorant  of  "the  way,  the  truth  and  the 
life."  This  reflection  fastened  itself  upon  his  mind,  and  led 
to  deep,  serious,  and  anxious  enquiry,  resulting  in  religious 
conversion,  and  the  full  and  sincere  dedication  of  his  life  and 
all  its  energies,  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  This  incident 
of  his  religious  life  and  experience,  a  subject  to  which  he 
was,  in  his  intercourse  with  his  most  intimate  friends,  singu- 
larly sparing  in  any  allusion,  is  preserved  alone  in  the  mem- 
ory of  Mrs.  Dunster,  who  in  a  venerable  old  age,  with  a 
remarkable  preservation  of  mental  vigor,  remains  in  the  year 
1858,  the  sole  surviving  member  of  the  church  as  constituted 
at  the  time  of  his  ordination  as  its  pastor.  The  authority 
for  this  statement,  is  the  funeral  sermon,  preached  at  Mason 
village,  after  the  death  of  Mr  Hill,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kellogg. 

A  singular  incident  connected  with  his  school-teaching  at 
Westford,  was  brought  to  light  a  few  years  before  his  death. 
As  it  exhibits  a  remarkable  instance  of  firmness,  decision  of 
character,  energy  and  perseverance  in  a  yaukee  boy,  conduct- 


REV.    EBEXEZER    HILL.  15 

ing  him  to  the  most  honorable  and  useful  stations  in  life,  it  is 
hoped  that  the  use  made  of  the  correspondence,  as  an  illus- 
tration of  the  manners  of  the  times  and  the  characters  of 
the  actors,  by  its  introduction  here  for  that  purpose,  will  be 
pardoned.  In  January,  1848,  Mr.  Hill  received  by  mail 
the  following  letter : 

M ,  Vermont,  Jan'y  4,   1848. 

REV.  EBENEZER  HILL, 

My  Dear  Sir: — I  noticed,  not  long  since,  your  name  as  a 
clergyman  in  Mason,  in  a  New  Hampshire  register.  My 
object  in  writing  to  you  is,  to  ascertain  if  you  are  the  person, 
that  taught  a  district  school  in  Westford,  about  the  winter 
of  1788.  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  inform  me  by  mail,  and 
if  I  find  that  you  are  the  same  person,  I  will  then,  inform  you 
of  my  object,  in  asking  for  this  information. 

Yours,  with  great  respect,    J R . 

To  this  letter,  Mr.  Hill  replied  as  follows : 

MASOX,  JAN'Y  10, 1848. 
MR.  J R : 

SIR  : — I  received  a  line  from  you,  requesting  information, 
whether  I  am  the  person  who  taught  a  district  school  in 
Westford,  in  the  winter  of  1788. 

In  answer  to  your  question,  I  say,  I  graduated  at  Cam- 
bridge, in  the  year  1786,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  year,  took 
the  town  school  in  Westford,  for  a  year.  This  school,  I  kept 
two  years,  removing  from  one  district  to  another.  Whether 
the  turn  came  to  the  Forge,  or  Stony  Brook  district  in  the 
winter  of  1788,  I  do  not  recollect.  But  of  this  I  am  sure, 
that  there  was  no  school  kept  in  the  town,  in  those  two 
years,  other  than  was  taught  by  me,  and,  for  a  season,  after 
quitting  the  schools,  I  remained  in  Westford,  and  made  that 
town  my  home,  so  that  I  feel  confident,  that  no  school-master 
of  the  name  of  Hill,  taught  a  school  in  Westford,  but  myself. 

I  shall,  sir,  with  some  degree  of  excited  curiosity  be  wait- 
ing, for  the  promised  information,  respecting  the  enquiry. 
Respectfully  yours,       EBEN'R  HILL. 


16  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

To  this  the  following  reply  was  received : 

M ?  vt.,  Jan'y  18,  1848. 

REV.  EBEXEZEH  HILL: 

Dear  Sir: — Yours  of  the  10th  instant  is  received,  in  which 
you  say,  you  taught  school  in  "Westford  two  years,  commenc- 
ing in  the  autumn  of  1786.  I  am  satisfied,  that  you  are  the 
person  I  have  been  anxious  to  find,  for  the  last  half  century 

or  more.     I  am  the  son  of  J R ,  living  in  the   east 

part  of  the  town.  I  attended  your  school  in  the  winter  of 
1787,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  when  you  kept  in  the 
middle  of  the  town,  also,  the  winter  school  of  1788,  you  kept 
in  the  district  where  my  father  resided.  Col's  Wright  and 
Osgood  lived  in  the  same  district.  I  think  you  boarded  with 
Capt.  Pcletiah,  or  Capt.  Thomas  Fletcher,  both  winters. 
All  passed  pleasantly,  till  the  last  week  in  February,  when 
for  some  trifling  fault,  in  (say  whispering,)  being  then  only 
eleven  years  of  age,  you  called  me  up,  and  ordered  me  to 
stand  out  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  about  an  hour  before 
the  school  closed  in  the  afternoon,  and  let  me  stand  there 
without  my  reading  or  spelling,  until  the  school  closed  for 
the  day,  and  without  your  saying  a  word  to  me ;  which  I 
considered  a  great  insult.  I  therefore  remained,  until  you 
and  the  scholars  had  retired,  except  a  young  man  (Levi 
Wright)  who  was  to  take  care  of  the  house.  I  then  thought 
of  revenge,  <fcc.,  and  collected  your  books,  inkstand  and  ruler, 
with  intent  to  burn  them  up ;  but  before  I  could  effect  the 
object,  Levi  Wright  discovered  what  I  was  doing,  and  inter- 
fered, and  saved  all  except  the  inkstand,  ruler,  and  a  small 
book  or  two,  say  to  the  value  from  three  to  six  shillings 
worth.  Wright  told  me  I  should  be  whipped  to  death  the 
next  day,  which  brought  me  to  my  senses.  I  then  resolved 
to  leave  the  country.  I  had  an  uncle  visiting  at  my  father's, 
who  lived  at  Plymouth,  N.  H.  I  resolved  to  go  home  with 
him,  to  get  clear  of  punishment,  and  finally  persuaded  my 
father  to  let  me  go,  though  he  would  not  if  he  had  known 
the  reason,  and  I  was  off  in  a  day  or  two ;  so  I  escaped  the 


REV.   EBEXEZER    HILL.  17 

punishment  I  so  richly  deserved,  without  my  parents  know- 
ing my  crime,  and  I  never  returned  [to  reside  in  the  town.]  I 
have  ever  regretted  my  fault  and  error,  and  have  intended,  if 
ever  I  could  see  you,  or  learn  your  place  of  residence,  to 
make  an  apology  and  satisfaction,  though,  perhaps,  you  have 
long  since  forgotten  the  transaction.  I  now  sir,  enclose  to 
you  $5,00,  to  pay  debt  and  interest,  which  I  hope  you  will 
receive  with  the  same  kind  feelings,  which  I  have  in  sending 
it  to  you;  and  wish  you  to  consider  my  extreme  youth  when 
the  error  was  committed.  Perhaps  you  may  have  some  curi- 
osity to  know  my  success  in  life,  &c.  I  resided  in  Plymouth 
until  May,  1803,  when  I  came  into  this  state  and  engaged  in 
trade,  and  followed  trade  successfully  about  thirty  years* 
In  public  life,  I  have  been  eight  years  a  representative  to  the 
legislature,  a  justice  of  the  peace  thirty  years,  a  judge  of  our 
courts  some  years,  also,  judge  of  probate  in  this  county, 
one  of  the  electors  of  president  and  vice  president  of  the 
United  States,  (Harrison)  one  of  the  council  of  censors  to 
revise  the  constitution  of  this  state,  county  treasurer  the  last 
twenty  years,  and  many  minor  offices.  I  now  live  in  retire- 
ment, being  seventy-one  years  of  age.  Respectfully  yours, 
with  my  best  wishes  for  your  health  and  happiness. 

P.  S.  "Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  this,  and  oblige  J.  R. 

The  substance  of  Mr.  Hill's  letter  in  reply,  is  as  follows : 

HON.  J R . 

Dear  Sir: — Yours  of  the  18th  instant,  came  safe  to  hand, 
and  you  may  be  assured  it  has  been  read  repeatedly,  with 
deeply  interested  feelings.  I  thank  you  for  the  favor.  It 
has  led  to  some  reflections  on  the  ways  of  Divine  Providence 
in  bringing  about  events  very  important,  yet  unlocked  for? 
and  unexpected.  Who  would  have  thought  that  the  wild 
freaks  of  a  boy  eleven  years  old,  in  attempting  to  escape 
punishment  for  a  pardonable  fault  in  school,  would  lead  him 


18  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

to  forsake  his  father's  house,  and  all  the  endearments  of 
home  and  family  connections,  and  youthful  acquaintances  ? 
that  such  an  event,  should  be  the  first  step  to  bring  that 
youth  to  fill  places  of  honor  and  trust  to  which  few  aspire, 
and  to  which  very  few  attain  ?  And  yet,  had  one  link  been 

wanting  in  the  chain   of  events   which  placed  J — —  R ', 

the  little  lad,  with  his  distant  relatives  in  Plymouth,  he 
would  not  be,  as  at  this  day,  the  Hon.  J R ,  in  Ver- 
mont, having  filled  most  of  the  various  offices  of  high  and 
honorary  trust.  With  respect  to  the  "  debt  and  interest"  of 
which  you  write,  I  had  no  debt,  and  the  circumstances  named, 
were  entirely  forgotten.  If  debt  was  due  to  either,  it  was 
rather  to  you,  than  to  me.  However,  I  receive  the  sum 
gratefully,  as  a  token  of  your  kind  remembrance  and  contin- 
ued friendship.  I  rejoice  in  the  blessings  which  $God  has 
bestowed  upon  you,  and  hope  still  to  enjoy  your  kind  remem* 
brance  while  I  remain  on  earth.  Judging  from  the  pleasure 
I  have  received  in  the  sketches  of  your  life,  I  am  led  to 
presume  that  it  will  not  be  entirely  uninteresting  to  you,  to 
learn  some  of  the  events  of  my  life  since  the  time  to  which 
your  letter  refers. 

After  leaving  the  school,  I  made  Westford  my  principal 
home,  until  I  went  to  read  with  Dr.  Payson  of  Rindge.  In 
the  year  1790,  I  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  congregational 
church  in  Mason,  and  that  relation  has  continued  to  the  pres- 
ent day.  I  have  had  two  colleague  pastors  settled  with  me, 
but  now  am  alone  in  that  office.  I  have  been  blessed  with  an 
unusual  degree  of  health,  having  in  all  my  ministry,  but  very 
few  times  been  taken  off  from  public  ministerial  labors,  for 
want  of  health,  and,  through  the  abounding  mercy  of  God, 
have  been  spared  to  see  the  last  day  of  January,  1848,  which 
completed  my  eighty-second  year  of  pilgrimage  on  earth. 
But  four  or  five  are  now  living  in  the  town,  who  were  at  the 
head  of  a  family,  when  I  became  their  minister."  The  letter 
closes  with  some  particular  details  of  his  family,  which  will 
be  more  pertinently  introduced  in  another  connection. 


REV.    EBEXEZER   HILL.  19 

To  resume  the  narrative.  After  closing  Ms  school-teaching 
at  Westford,  he  pursued  the  study  of  theology  with  the  Rev. 
Seth  Payson,  (afterwards  known  as  Dr.  Payson,)  of  Rindge, 
N.  H.  While  residing  at  Rindge,  and  in  his  family,  he  united 
with  the  church  in  Rindge,  by  profession,  September  28th, 
1788. 

At  that  time,  there  were  no  theological  seminaries  in  the 
land.  The  usual  course  was,  for  the  candidate  for  the  minis- 
try, to  resort  to  some  well  known  divine,  who  had  a  reputa- 
tion for  learning  and  ability  to  teach,  and  with  him  to  pursue 
such  a  course  of  study,  as  the  parties  should  think  proper. 
After  the  course  of  instruction  was  sufficiently  advanced,  the 
pastor  would  introduce  his  pupil  to  his  own  pulpit  and 
people,  before  he  went  abroad ;  and  thus  give  him  the  benefit 
of  a  certain  degree  of  experience,  under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances.  This  form  of  instruction,  if  it  did  not  furnish 
to  the  student  so  good  an  opportunity  for  extensive  and  accu- 
rate scholarship,  as  the  present  mode,  yet  possessed  advan- 
tages for  carefully  observing  the  operations  of  divine  truth  on 
a  Christian  parish,  and  thereby  preparing  himself  for  the  dis- 
charge of  his  professional  duties,  with  fewer  embarrassments 
than  are  usually  in  the  way  of  a  cloister  student,  who  has 
passed  through  a  full  curriculum  of  collegiate  and  theological 
education. 

The  reasons  inducing  him  to  apply  to  Dr.  Payson  for 
instruction,  are  not  now  known,  but  he  seems  to  have  been 
favored  by  a  divine  providence,  in  the  selection  of  his 
teacher.  Dr.  Payson  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth,  and  he 
secured  the  regard  of  his  pupil,  and  retained  it  till  his  death. 

If,  as  stated  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  R ,  .he  spent  two  years 

as  a  school-teacher  in  Westford,  he  must  have  commenced 
his  residence  with  Mr.  Payson  in  August,  1788.  That  it 
was  so,  his  letters  show ;  for  in  one  bearing  date  at  Rindge, 
August,  1788,  (the  day  of  the  month  not  inserted,)  he  writes, 
"I  have  now  been  here  eleven  days."  His  novitiate  was  very 
short,  for  his  license  to  preach,  bears  date  October  28th, 


20  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

1788.  He  commenced  preaching  as  a  candidate,  immediately 
after.  Many  of  his  sermons  remaining,  bear  date  in  that 
year.  Indeed,  it  is  probable,  that  his  first  effort  in  conduct- 
ing the  public  worship  in  the  pulpit,  was  prior  to  that  date, 
for  in  a  letter  dated,  as  usual  with  him  at  that  time,  by  the 
day  of  the  week,  omitting  that  of  the  month,  under  date  of 
Saturday  evening,  October,  1788,  he  writes,  "Mr.  Payson  has 
just  been  into  my  study,  and  says  I  must  preach  for  him, 
to-morrow,  for  he  is  not  prepared.1'  The  letter  continued  on 
subsequent  days,  till  Saturday,  two  weeks  from  the  first  date, 
makes  no  mention  of  the  examination  or  license. 

The  following  copy  of  this  venerable  document  is  worthy 
of  insertion,  for  its  quaintness,  and  also,  as  a  sample  of  the 
mode  in  which  such  important  matters  were  disposed  of, 
by  the  fathers  of  the  New  England  churches  : 

an/   Qst/iociahon/  in/   G/t/fufatn/tam/, 
&oen  ^   G/utf,   G^t.    -&/.  a/i/i,ea,zcd  and 

/  / 

Sum/erf  to  examination  aj  a  ^handidate/  tot  1/e/ 

.•-.-  ^crJion/  cnauiiu  info    AM    inoiat 
/  /      / 

/uinituzc',     ana    VKW<)    in/    unacifaAina 
</  ff  </ 

tn,  voted  ananimt-u/CM  fati/Yicd  with     Q/Lwi/    in/    ad 
ana    QrCe/  M  nea^titu  ^ccom,'ntenaea   Jo  faeacn 
wnetecvci    'r/.oa  in/  AM    ^.£tovi(/cncc/    //tatt    vivc/    ni?n/ 
oh/iottunitw  :  ana  w&  wtfA  Q/Cc/  mau  Snove  a  vicn,  Jz&icf: 
ainy  Jo  t/w.    m^/t/i  and  '^/J/i&  o/^r^od,  and  mat  G/£e  •mau 

ff  '  /      (7  <7 

6e  an  at-te  and  Q/'aitrt'/ai  minifiev  o/  me  new  te/tament. 

/  <f         /  tr 


There  cannot  be  much  doubt,  that  while  teaching  school 
during  the  two  years  in  Westford,  he  was  under  the  direction, 
of  Dr.  Payson,  pursuing  his  theological  studies,  and  that  the 
date  above  stated,  13  that  of  the  commencement  of  his  resi- 


REV.    EBENEZEE   HILL.  21 

dence  in  the  family  of  his  instructor,  rather  than  that  of  the 
commencement  of  his  professional  studies. 

Among  other  places,  he  exercised  his  ministry  in  the  town 
of  Marlborough,  so  much  to  the  acceptance  of  the  church 
and  people,  that  they  gave  him  a  call  to  settle  in  that  place, 
as  their  minister.  This  call  was  voted  in  concurrence  with 
the  church,  at  a  town  meeting,  held  November  13th,  1789. 
The  provision  for  his  support,  offered  by  the  town,  was  as 
follows : 

"Voted,  To  give  Mr.  Hill  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds, 
settlement ;  sixty  pounds  to  be  paid  in  specie,  one  half  of 
which,  is  to  be  paid  in  three  months  after  his  ordination,  the 
other  half,  to  be  paid  in  nine  months.  The  one  hundred 
pounds  to  be  paid  in  beef  cattle,  Equal  to  beef  at  twenty 
shillings  per  hundred,  or  other  neet  stock  Equivilent;  sd. 
beef  to  be  paid  the  fifteenth  day  of  October,  after  his  ordi- 
nation. 

"Voted,  To  give  Mr.  Hill  sixty  pounds  salary  for  the  first 
year,  and  to  add  Twenty  shillings  a  year,  until  it  arrive  to  the 
sum  of  sixty-eight  pounds,  and  also, 

"Voted,  To  give  Mr.  Hill  thirty  cords  of  wood,  delivered 
at  his  house,  the  salary  and  wood  to  be  paid  annually,  so  long 
as  Mr.  Hill  shall  perform  the  work  of  a  gospel  minister,  in 
this  place. 

"Voted,  That  when  the  majority  of  the  Church  and  Town 
shall  agree  to  invite  a  council,  to  settle  any  difficulty,  if  any 
should  arise  between  pastor  and  church  and  Town,  that  Mr. 
Hill  be  obligated  to  join  with  the  church  and  town,  in  a  mutual 
council." 

At  a  subsequent  meeting,  December  24th,  1789,  the  offer 
was  modified  by  the  following  vote  : 

"Voted,  To  alter  the  payment  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hill's 
salary  as  it  now  stands,  in  the  proposals  which  the  town  has 
made  to  him,  and  to  pay  the  said  salary,  annually,  so  long  as 
he  shall  remain  our  gospel  minister."  This  was,  undoubtedly, 
intended  to  apply  to,  and  modify  that  provision  of  the 
4 


22  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

former  offer,  which  limited  the  payment  of  the  salary,  by  the 
phrase  "  so  long  as  Mr.  Hill  shall  perform  the  work  of  a  gos- 
pel minister  in  this  place."  This  made  the  payment  contin- 
gent on  services  actually  performed.  The  contract  by  which 
a  preacher  was  settled,  as  the  pastor  of  a  church  and  minis- 
ter of  a  town,  was  then  regarded  as  indissoluble,  without 
fault  on  the  part  of  the  minister,  as  the  marriage  contract 
was  then  esteemed  to  be.  Hence  it  followed,  that  if  the 
minister  should  become  disabled  from  disease  or  old  age,  to 
perform  "  the  work  of  a  gospel  minister,"  he  was  still  enti- 
tled to  claim  and  receive  his  stipend,  and  the  people  were 
not  permitted,  after  having  enjoyed  the  best  services  of  his 
youth  and  vigorous  manhood,  to  turn  him  adrift  in  his  old  age, 
laboring  under  poverty  and  infirmity,  to  spend  his  last  days 
in  penury  and  misery.  The  clergy  were  particularly  cautious, 
not  to  permit  any  stipulations  looking  to  an  abridgement  of 
this  right,  to  be  incorporated  into  the  contract ;  on  the  other 
hand,  the  people  were  somewhat  inclined  to  entertain  the 
notion,  that  the  principle  of  no  work,  no  pay,  should  apply 
to  these,  as  well  as  to  other  contracts.  These  ideas,  doubt- 
less, had  something  to  do  with  the  framing  of  this  proposed 
contract,  and  of  the  modification,  adopted  at  the  second 
meeting.  These  were  old  world  notions.  As  the  French 
say,  "All  this,  we  have  changed."  Now  the  contract  between 
ministers  and  people,  has  little  more  permanency  than  a 
hiring  from  year  to  year,  and,  from  the  frequency  with  which 
divorces  are  sought,  and  the  ease  with  which  they  are 
obtained,  in  some  parts  of  our  country,  the  marriage  contract 
is  fast  verging  to  the  same  miserable  state.  It  is  sufficient 
to  say,  that  this  call  was  not  accepted ;  for  what  particular 
reasons,  does  not  appear.  He  had,  at  the  same  time,  under 
consideration,  a  similar  call  from  the  church  and  people  in 
Mason,  which  was  first  in  point  of  time,  and  was  by  him  finally 
accepted ;  but  he  ever  entertained  for  the  people  of  Marlbo- 
rough,  an  affectionate  regard. 

His  first  introduction  to  Mason,  the  scene  of  his  future 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  23 

labors,  in  which  his  life  was  to  be  spent,  was  undoubtedly, 
through  the  Rev.  Samuel  Dix,  of  Townsend,  with  whom  he 
formed  an  acquaintance  while  residing  at  Westford,  or  at 
Bindge,  which  ended,  only  with  the  life  of  that  worthy  gen- 
tleman. Addressed  "To  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hill,  at  Eindge,"  is  a 
letter,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

"MR.  HILL: — I  am  desifed  in  behalf  of  the  town  of  Mason, 
to  request  you  to  preach  with  them  four  Sabbaths ;  to  begin, 
the  first  or  second  in  April  next.  They  wish  to  know  .soon, 
whether  you  comply  or  not ;  if  you  please  to  send  the  infor- 
mation to  me,  I  will  convey  it  to  them,  by  divine  permission  ; 
I  mean,  in  case  you  can't  bring  it  yourself,  to  your  friend  and 
servant,  SAM'L  Dix." 

TOWNSEND,  May  20th,  1789. 

There  is,  undoubtedly,  a  mistake  in  the  date  of  this  letter. 
It  should  be  March,  instead  of  May.  This  invitation  was 
complied  with.  It  appears  by  the  minutes  of  the  Holies 
Association,  that  at  their  meeting  at  Townsend,  July  1st, 
1789,  there  were  present  as  "company,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Bullard, 
of  Pepperell,  and  Mr.  Hill,  a  candidate  preaching  at  Mason." 

In  coming  to  this,  his  future  home,  he  came  to  no  place  of 
ease,  no  well  cultivated  garden  spot,  where  the  young 
preacher  was  to  find  a  polished  people,  a  full  salary,  and  to 
enjoy  the  opportunity  for  becoming  a  scholar,  a  theologian ; 
but  he  came  to  an  uncultivated  field,  which  demanded,  from 
its  occupant,  the  most  laborious  toil,  in  order  for  success. 
The  people  were  poor,  unpolished  in  manners,  but  sincerely 
desirous  of  the  establishment  of  the  institutions  of  religion 
among  them,  and  ready  to  receive  their  minister,  with  open 
hand  and  heart.  The  "  G-aius,  mine  host"  who  first  received 
and  entertained  this  youthful  apostle,  upon  his  entry  into 
this  his  future  diocese,  was  the  worthy  and  excellent  Jason ' 
Dunster,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Henry  Dunster,  the  first 
president  of  Harvard  college.  He  then  resided  in  the  south' 
east  part  of  the  town.  Mr.  Dunster,  then  an  aged  man, 
remained  his  firm  and  unwavering  friend,  to  the  close  of 


24  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

his  life.  The  mode  of  travelling  in  those  days,  was  on  horse- 
back, the  wayfarer  taking  with  him  his  scanty  wardrobe,  and 
a  few  books,  and  manuscript  sermons  in  his  saddle-bags. 
There  were  then,  no  wheeled  carriages  in  the  town,  except  the 
ox-carts,  and  no  vehicle  for  winter  conveyance,  except  the  ox- 
sleds  and  pungs,  a  coarsely-made  box,  placed  upon  runners, 
and  drawn  by  one  or  more  horses.  '  The  roads  were  rough, 
and  by  no  means  free  from  stumps  and  stones ;  so  that  the 
means  of  passing  from  place  to  place,  were  only  those  just 
described,  or  the  more  primitive  method,  the  use  of  the 
sturdy  limbs  furnished  by  nature  to  all  well  made  up  men 
and  women. 

His  services  as  a  minister,  seem  to  have  been  from  the 
first,  very  acceptable  to  the  people  of  his  future  charge,  and 
he  continued  to  preach  in  the  place,  with  a  few  interruptions 
of  time,  spent  in  other  places,  until  his  final  settlement  and 
ordination.  Soon  after  coming  into  town,  he  became  domes- 
ticated in  the  pleasant  family  of  Mr.  John  Winship,  in  which 
he  resided  most  of  the  time,  till  he  was  married,  and  could 
sit  down  by  his  own  domestic  hearth.  For  this  worthy  fam- 
ily, he  always  entertained  an  affectionate  regard.  It  seems, 
that  after  fulfilling  his  first  engagement  at  Mason,  of  "four 
sabbaths,"  probably  extended  to  a  few  more  weeks,  he 
preached  at  Ashby,  at  which  place  he  was  employed  in  August, 
1789 ;  as  appears, by  the  letter  of  the  meetinghouse  commit- 
tee of  Mason,  dated  August  29th,  1789,  addressed  to  him  at 
Asbby;  which  has  been  inserted  in  the  History  of  Mason, 
page  111. 

The  people  of  Mason,  without  any  long  trial  of  their  can- 
didate, determined  to  invite  him  to  become  their  minister. 
A  church  meeting  for  this  purpose,  was  held  October  13th, 
1789.  Just  seventeen  years  before  that  time,  October  13th, 
1772,  the  meeting  was  held  for  the  gathering  and  formation 
of  the  church,  into  an  ecclesiastical  body.  The  church,  at 
this  meeting,  at  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dix  presided,  voted, 
unanimously,  to  invite  Mr.  Hill  to  become  their  pastor.  In 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  25 

this  action  of  the  church,  the  town  concurred  by  their  votes, 
at  a  meeting  held  on  the  16th  of  October.  Copies  of  the 
votes  of  the  town  and  of  the  church  were  communicated  to  him. 

Thus,  was  presented  to  him,  the  most  important  question 
he  would  be  called  upon  to  decide  in  his  long  life;  one, 
upon  which  his  happiness  as  a  man,  and  his  usefulness  as  a 
public  teacher  and  minister  of  the  word  of  God,  was  mainly 
to  depend.  The  prospect  was  far  from  cheering.  There 
were  many  discouragements.  The  town  was  small,  and  the 
inhabitants  few  in  number.  They  were  poor,  and  there  was 
little  promise  that  they  would  ever  be  otherwise.  Their  sole 
employment  was  agriculture,  except  the  few  handicrafts 
always  found  in  agricultural  communities,  and  the  character 
of  the  hard,  stubborn,  rocky  soil  was  such,  as  to  afford  prom- 
ise of  rather  scanty  harvests,  and  no  anticipations  of  rapid 
improvement.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  people  were 
industrious,  temperate,  frugal,  warm-hearted,  ready  to  do 
according  to  their  best  ability  for  his  comfort  and  support. 

The  church  formed  October  13,  1772,  then  consisting  of 
twenty-one  members,  twelve  men  and  nine  women,  had  hardly 
kept  its  numbers  good.  Unhappy  difficulties  arose,  soon 
after  the  settlement  of  their  first  minister,  the  Rev.  Jonathan 
Searle.  He  was  dismissed  August  14th,  1781.  After  his 
dismission,  they  had  procured  a  temporary  supply,  from  time 
to  time,  and  had  invited  several  preachers  to  settle  with  them 
but  all  the  invitations  had  been  declined.  Only  one  member 
had  been  added  to  the  communion,  for  more  than  thirteen 
years,  and  he,  Jonathan  Chandler,  by  letter,  from  the  church 
in  Grafton. 

But  there  were  circumstances  of  encouragement.  The 
neighboring  ministers,  particularly  Dix  of  Townsend,  and 
Farrar  of  New  Ipswich,  were  anxious  to  welcome  him  as  a 
fellow-laborer,  and  to  have  the  waste  place  which  this  church 
had,  for  so  many  years  exhibited,  built  up.  In  1785,  a  reli- 
gious revival,  of  a  remarkable  character,  took  place  in  New 
Ipswich,  in  which  the  neighboring  towns,  and  particularly  the 


26  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

town  of  Mason,  largely  shared.  Many  of  the  young  persons 
in  that  town,  on  becoming  subjects  of  the  revival,  had  united 
with  the  church  in  New  Ipswich.  All  these  were  now  ready, 
in  prospect  of  the  re-establishment  of  gospel  ordinances,  to 
remove  their  church-membership  to  Mason  church;  and  many 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  members  of  churches  in  the  places 
in  which  they  had  formerly  lived,  were  ready  to  remove  their 
membership  to  this  church.  These,  uniting  with  the  remain- 
ing members  of  the  church,  constituted  at  the  time  of  his 
ordination,  a  body  of  thirty-six  in  number,  ready  to  receive 
him  as  their  pastor  and  teacher. 

After  due  consideration,  in  July  or  August,  1790,  he  gave 
his  answer  to  this  call  in  the  affirmative,  accepting  the  invita- 
tion. In  pursuance  of  these  proceedings,  an  ecclesiastical 
council  was  called,  which  met  on  the  second  day  of  November, 
1790,  and,  having  made  the  necessary  examinations  and 
arrangements  therefor,  on  the  next  day,  they  proceeded  to 
ordain  him,  as  pastor  of  the  church.  For  the  details  of  the 
votes  of  the  church  and  of  the  town,  his  answer  to  their 
call  and  the  proceedings  of  the  council)  reference  may  be 
had  to  the  History  of  the  town  of  Mason,  pages  111  to  119. 

His  inducements  to  accept  this  invitation,  rather  than  that 
of  Marlborough,  appear  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  under  date  of 
May  5th,  1790.  He  writes,  "I  have  tried  to  think  it  was  my 
duty  to  settle  at  Marlborough,  but  it  appears  quite  plain  to 
me,  that  Providence  has  pointed  out  Mason  as  the  place.  I 
think  I  never  saw  such  an  union,  and  such  engagedness,  as  is 
apparent  in  this  place.  What  their  motives  are,  I  am  not 
able  to  say,  but  trust,  with  regard  to  the  greater  part,  they 
are  gospel  motives,  and  upon  the  whole,  I  dare  not  deny 
them." 

The  provision  for  his  support  amounted  to  $250  a  year,  a 
very  moderate  stipend  upon  which  to  sustain  a  family  and 
keep  up  the  hospitality  which  was  then  expected  of  the 
clergy,  and  generally  maintained  by  them.  It  was,  however, 
considering  the  habits  of  living  of  the  times,  quite  as  ade- 


REV.    EBENEZER    HILL.  27 

quate  for  that  purpose,  as  the  cempensation  now  paid  gener- 
ally by  country  parishes  to  their  clergymen.  It  was  a  matter 
belonging  to  the  town,  in  its  municipal  capacity,  to  see  that 
this  sum  was  paid,  which  was  done  by  levying  and  collecting 
a  tax  upon  the  poll  and  estates  of  all  the  inhabitants  and 
land-holders  in  the  town,  except  such  as  by  the  laws  of  the 
land  were  excused  from  the  payment,  by  reason  of  their 
membership  of  other  religious  societies. 

According  to  the  provisions  of  the  charter,  by  which  the 
title  to  the  lands  in  the  town  was  granted,  see  History  of 
Mason,  page  28,  he  would,  in  addition  to  the  sum  of  seventy 
five  pounds  annual  salary,  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  the  lands 
granted  "for  the  use  of  the  ministry";  but  at  the  meeting 
held  October  16,  1789,  immediately  after  passing  a  vote  to 
concur  "with  the  church  in  giving  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hill  a  call 
into  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,"  the  town  "Voted,  To 
Reserve  the  Ministry  Rite  of  land  in  this  Town  for  the  use  of 
sd.  Town."  This  assumption,  on  the  part  of  the  town,  of  the 
right  to  appropriate  this  land  to  any  other  use  than  that  lim- 
ited in  the  original  grant,  was  clearly  without  authority.  The 
land  was  never  the  property  of  the  town,  and  the  town  could 
grant  no  lawful  title  to  it.  It  was  not  given  to  the  town,  but 
was  reserved  out  of  the  grant,  by  the  proprietors  of  the  whole 
township,  "for  the  use  of  the  ministry."  No  action  of  the 
town  could  lawfully  divert  it  from  that  use,  or  apply  it  to  any 
other  purpose ;  much  less  could  the  town  sell  it,  and  give  any 
valid  title  to  a  purchaser.  No  doubt,  the  fathers  thought 
they  had  a  right  to  do  as  they  pleased  with  it.  The  land  was 
subsequently  sold  by  the  town,  and  the  proceeds  paid  into 
the  town  treasury,  and  applied  to  the  ordinary  town  charges ; 
and  thus  a  provision  intended  by  the  grantors  of  the  town 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  was,  in  violation  of  law,  at 
this  early  period,  diverted  from  its  original  object,  and,  so  far 
as  that  purpose  was  concerned,  entirely  lost. 

Of  course,  he  was  the  servant,  or  in  other  words,  the  min- 
ister of  the  town ;  all  of  the  people  had  a  right  to  attend  on 


28  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

the  public  worship  as  conducted  by  him,  and  for  that  purpose, 
ample  provision  was  made,  for  the  accommodation  in  the 
meeting  house,  without  charge,  of  all  who,  for  want  of 
means,  or  other  reasons,  were  not  provided  with  pews,  or 
seats  in  pews.  There  was  no  other  society  or  meeting  in 
town  than  his,  for  many  years,  except  a  small  society  of 
Baptists,  composed  of  residents  in  this,  and  some  of  the 
neighboring  towns,  who  had  religious  services  a  part  of  the 
time  in  town.  He  was  expected  to  visit  all  in  sickness  and 
affliction,  and  attend  to  the  burial  of  the  dead.  These  ser- 
vices he  considered  it  a  part  of  his  duty  to  do,  and  he  per- 
formed them  faithfully,  at  all  seasons,  postponing  thereto  all 
considerations  of  private  business,  convenience,  or  inclination. 
In  the  sick  room  and  in  the  house  of  mourning,  he  was  always 
received  as  a  welcome  visitor.  His  addresses  and  ministra- 
tions on  funeral  occasions,  were  remarkable  for  appropriate- 
ness, solemnity  and  tenderness.  Many  of  his  discourses  on 
such  occasions  were,  at  the  request  of  the  friends  of  the 
departed,  published,  of  which  a  list  will  be  found  at  the  close 
of  this  memoir.  From  the  time  of  his  ordination  until  he 
ceased  to  take  any  active  share  in  parochial  affairs,  he  kept 
an  accurate  record  of  all  marriages  by  him  celebrated,  and 
also  of  the  death  of  all  persons  occurring  in  the  town,  gener- 
ally with  some  indication  of  the  disease  and  of  the  age  of  the 
decedent.  Both  these  records  are  inserted  in  the  History 
of  Mason. 

But  it  is  time  to  resume  the  narrative  of  his  life  and  labors. 
Having  found  and  united  himself  with  a  church  and  people, 
he  forthwith  proceeded  to  supply  the  next  great  want  of  a 
New  England  clergyman,  a  domestic  household.  This  he 
formed,  by  uniting  in  marriage  with  Mary  Boynton,  of  West- 
ford.  They  were  married  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Dix,  of  Towns- 
end,  February  2,  1791.  As  early  as  March  of  this  year,  he 
commenced  a  negotiation  with  John  Bishop  &  Son,  of  Med- 
ford,  for  the  purchase  of  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  Capt. 
William  Chambers,  and  then  owned  by  these  gentlemen. 


KEY.    EBEXEZER   HILL.  29 

This  negotiation  resulted  in  a  purchase  of  the  place,  and  he 
thus  secured  for  himself  a  home,  in  which  he  spent  all  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  To  this  first  purchase,  he  afterwards 
added,  at  different  times,  a  meadow  lot,  a  wood  lot  and  a 
pasture,  making  in  all  a  productive  and  valuable  farm.  This 
was  a  fortunate  proceeding  on  his  part,  as  this  farm  rendered 
him,  in  a  good  degree,  independent.  The  house  was  small. 
It  was  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  in  the  town.  It  stood  in 


the  garden,  a  little  distance  north  and  west  of  the  present 
edifice.  The  first  house  on  the  farm,  was  built  in  the  north- 
west corner  of  the  old  orchard,  where  the  remains  of  the 
cellar,  now  mark  the  place.  It  was  occupied  many  years  as  a 
tavern,  by  Samuel  Abbott.  It  was  the  nearest  dwelling  to 
the  old  meeting  house,  and  on  occasion  of  town  meetings,  in 
the  cold  winter  weather,  the  fathers  would  adjourn  to  Mr. 
Abbott's  tavern,  to  warm  up.  The  road  then  passed  east  of 
the  site  of  the  present  buildings :  a  view  of  which  is  here 
presented.  The  wall  on  the  west  side  of  the  old  orchard, 
was  the  boundary  of  the  road,  which  came  into  the  road  now 
travelled  near  the  school  house.  The  road  leading  to  IJew 
Ipswich,  left  the  road  opposite  Abbott's  tavern,  and  making 
5 


30  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

a  curve,  came  into  the  road  as  now  travelled,  on  the  site  of 
the  town  house. 

About  the  year  1799,  he  commenced  the  erection  of  a 
comfortable  and  commodious  dwelling,  to  which  he  removed 
in  the  year  1800. 

This  mansion  was  built  in  the  most  substantial  manner,  in 
a  fashion  common  at  that  day,  though  now  seldom  copied. 
The  rooms  are  large  and  square,  and  in  the  internal  arrange- 
ments, as  well  as  outward  appearance,  it  presents  a  marked 
contrast  to  the  dwellings  in  the  now  prevailing  fashionable, 
sharp,  zigzag,  multi-angular,  modern  style,  in  which  the  object 
of  the  architect  seems  to  be,  to  multiply  corners  rather  than 
comforts.  In  the  frame,  more  timber  was  used,  than  would 
now  be  employed  in  the  construction  of  five  houses  of  the 
same  size.  The  form  of  the  roof,  though  perhaps,  not  the 
most  convenient,  is  one  that  gives  the  greatest  strength  and 
power  of  resistance  to  tempests.  This  quality  of  the  roof 
was  severely  tested,  in  the  most  violent  tempest  which  has 
visited  the  coast  of  New  England  within  the  last  hundred 
years,  known  and  remembered  as  the  September  gale  of 
1815.  This  gale,  driving  from  the  south-east,  and  meeting 
with  nothing  on  its  way  from  the  ocean,  to  break  its  force, 
burst  with  its  full  power  upon  this  dwelling.  The  two  tall 
chimneys  upon  the  southern  side,  were,  by  the  force  of  the 
gale,  at  the  same  instant  broken  off,  at  the  point  where  they 
issued  from  the  roof,  and  fell  with  a  thundering  crash  upon 
the  roof,  where  shattered  in  pcices,  they  lay  till  the  storm 
abated,  when  it  was  found  that  the  roof  had  escaped  unin- 
jured, needing  but  a  few  shingles  to  be  replaced,  to  make  it 
perfectly  sound ;  the  weight  of  the  falling  mass  having  been 
received  and  sustained  by  the  corner  rafters  of  the  roof. 
Such  a  mass  of  brick  and  mortar,  thus  falling  upon  a  roof  of 
the  common  form,  would  have  broken  it  through,  and  exposed 
the  whole  roof,  to  be  torn  into  fragments  and  carried  away 
by  the  tempest ;  leading,  probably,  to  a  total  destruction  of 
the  edifice. 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  31 

The  wood  seen  in  this  view,  on  the  east,  in  rear  of  the  build- 
ings, is  a  portion  of  the  native  forest,  composed  in  great  part 
of  white  oaks,  hickories,  chestnuts  and  pines ;  among  which, 
one ,  of  the  monarchs  of  the  original  forest  is  conspicuous. 
This  wood,  he  protected  and  cherished  with  great  care,  and 
it  has  now  become  one  of  the  most  valuable  timber  lots  in 
the  vicinity. 

By  means  of  the  farm,  with  the  aid  of  his  salary,  he 
brought  up  and  educated,  in  a  respectable  and  creditable 
manner,  a  numerous  family,  and  had  always  a  seat  at  his 
board  and  fireside,  and  a  spare  couch  for  his  brethren  of  the 
clergy,  who  were  always  made  welcome,  whether  coming  from 
near  or  distant  parts,  to  his  hospitality,  and  sent  on  their 
way,  on  their  departure,  rejoicing.  Many  a  poor  student  on 
crossing  his  threshold,  has  felt  that  he  was  in  a  haven  of  rest 
and  comfort.  For  such,  he  felt  great  sympathy,  remembering 
that  he  was  once  himself,  a  poor  student. 

It  is  proper  here  to  state,  that  in  some  years  he  was 
in  a  great  measure  deprived  of  the  benefit  of  his  salary, 
by  the  facility  with  which  he  was  induced  to  give  orders, 
anticipating  the  payment  of  it  in  favor  of  persons,  who 
applied  to  him  for  pecuniary  aid,  and  who  frequently  made 
very  inadequate  returns  to  him  for  the  aid  so  received. 

During  the  first  twelve  years  of  his  ministry,  there  was 
nothing  of  a  marked  character  exhibited,  in  the  religious 
condition  of  his  parish ;  there  were  no  revivals,  and  no  indi- 
cations of  any  rapid  changes  among  his  people.  The  seed 
was  carefully  sown,  but  seemed  to  germinate  slowly.  The 
regular  services  of  the  Sabbath,  were  two  long  written 
sermons.  There  were  but  iW  meetings  of  any  kind,  during 
the  week,  except  the  lecture  preparatory  to  the  regular  bi- 
monthly celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper.  These  discourses 
were  delivered  in  a  meeting  house,  in  which  no  fire  was  ever 
found,  however  severe  the  winter  weather  might  be.  The 
first  use  of  stoves  for  warming  the  meeting  house,  was  in  the 
winter  of  1820-'21. 


32  MEMOIR    OP    THE 

But  if  (ho  first  twelve  years  were  not  distinguished  by 
success  in  his  work,  they  Avoro  a  period  of  singular  and 
severe  trials  to  himself,  in  his  domestic;  relations,  such  as  to 
leave  their  traces  on  his  character  ever  after.  With  his  first 
wife,  ho  lived  but  three  years  and  one  month.  She  died 
March  lid.  17!M,  aged  twenty-nine  years. 

After  a  single  life  of  a  year  and  a  half,  he  married 
(November  IStli.  1795)  Mrs.  Rebecca  Howard,  widow  of 
Samuel  Howard,  and  daughter  of  Col.  Ebenczer  Bancroft,  of 
Tyngsborough.  Mass.  But  his  house  was  soon  again  left  des- 
olate. Consumption  took  from  him  the  second  wife  July  2d, 
1797.  She  was  twenty-six  years  and  four  months  of  age. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  1799,  he  married  Mrs.  Abigail 
Stearns,  widow  of  Edward  Stearns,  and  daughter  of  Col. 
Timothy  Jones  of  Bedford,  Mass.  With  her  he  lived  in  great 
harmony  and  happiness,  the  remainder  of  his  days,  and  she 
still  lingers  in  lonely  widowhood,  at  the  home  now  desolate, 
where  for  many  years,  a  numerous  and  happy  family  was 
gathered. 

These  severe  afflictions  scein  to  have  had  an  important 
influence  upon  his  character;  they  gave  him  a  capacity  to 
appreciate  scenes  of  sorrow,  and  enabled  him  to  sympathize 
with,  and  console  those  who  were  in  trial. 

It  has  already  been  remarked,  that  the  first  years  of  his 
ministry,  were  not  distinguished  by  any  particular  and  strik- 
ing indications  of  progress.  It  was  a  time  of  quiet  labor, 
and  preparation  for  future  harvest,  in  a  country  community, 
receiving  no  accessions  from  abroad,  and  sending  off  con- 
stantly, many  of  its  most  enterprising  young  people  to  the 
cities,  and  to  Vermont  and  New  York,  the  then  distant  West, 
the  increase  of  the  church,  was  usually  slow  and  silent. 

In  1*02.  there  was  a  revival  season,  which  resulted  in  the 
addition  of  forty-four  persons  to  the  church.  Again  in  1812, 
there  was  another  season  of  revival,  by  which  twenty-five 
persons  were  brought  into  the  church.  From  this  time,  until 
1826,  no  time  of  particular  attention  to  religion,  occurred. 


KEV.    EBENEZER    HILL.  33 

From  time  to  time,  persons  united  with  the  church,  but  no 
period  of  general  interest  was  seen. 

In  the  year  1826-'27,  there  occurred  a  more  general  and 
powerful  revival,  than  had  ever  been  known  in  Mason.  It 
was  a  genuine  work  of  grace,  and  had  immediate  and  perma- 
nent effects  upon  the  church  and  town.  Many  who  have  been 
influential  and  decided  Christians,  entered  the  church  at  that 
time.  The  season  was  one  of  constant  and  arduous  labor 
for  the  pastor ;  he  preached  almost  incessantly  on  week  days, 
in  the  school  houses,  and  in  the  private  houses  of  the  town, 
and  held  frequent  meetings  for  conference  and  inquiry,  that 
he  might  know  the  state  of  all,  and  adapt  his  instructions  to 
their  condition. 

Rev.  John  Spaulding,  who  is  pleasantly  remembered  for 
his  participation  in  the  labors  of  that  season,  has  furnished 
some  important  items,  respecting  it.  He  says  in  a  letter, 
"It  was  my  privilege  to  be  a  co-worker  with  him,  to  witness 
the  joy  of  the  harvest,  as  he  garnered  the  seed  long  before 
sown.  How  many  scenes  and  incidents  during  that  work, 
never  to  be  forgotten !  That  first  prayer-meeting  of  the 
youth  at  the  house  of  Mr.  W.,  one  of  the  daughters  of  the 
pastor,  there  being  so  impressed,  that  she  went  home  to 
weep  and  to  pray,  and  to  give  her  heart  to  Christ,  that  very 
night.  The  many  meetings  for  inquiry  and  prayer,  in  the 
pastor's  house,  meetings  of  weeping  and  joy !  I  seem  still 
to  see  the  heaven-lighted  countenance  of  the  good  pastor 
glow,  as  successively  informed  that  one  and  another  and 
another,  perhaps  the  last  and  least  expected,  had  given  the 
heart  to  Christ." 

Several  letters  of  his  own  remain,  in  which  he  gives  many 
facts,  concerning  this  deeply  interesting  work.  From  these 
letters,  a  better  idea  of  that  work  can  be  formed,  than  from 
any  other  source,  now  accessible.  The  first  of  these,  is  a 
letter  to  his  son  in  New  York,  dated  Mason,  March  15,  1826. 
An  extract  from  which,  is  as  follows:  "It  is  with  humble 
gratitude,  that  I  can  give  you  some  intelligence  more  pleasing 


34  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

than  I  could  have  done  a  few  weeks  since.  God  is  manifestly 
visiting  this  long  barren  spot,  with  some  tokens  of  his 
special  favor.  There  is,  more  than  formerly,  a  degree  of 
serious  attention  in  some  sections  of  the  town,  but  it  is  not 
general.  Religious  meetings  are  frequent  in  some  school 
houses.  Some  persons  are  now,  under  serious  impressions, 
some  greatly  distressed,  and  a  few,  are  already  rejoicing  in 
hope  of  salvation:  and  many  others  appear  to  listen  and 
hear,  with  attention  and  feeling.  ******  *  *  *  *  has  had 
a  most  distressing  season  for  some  weeks,  so  as  not  to  attend 
to  any  work,  but  he  appears  to  have  found  relief,  and  has  a 
supporting  hope.  None  have  as  yet,  joined  our  church.  We 
hope  these  are  but  the  first-fruits  of  a  large  harvest.  The 
Lord  in  his  mercy  grant  that  I  may  be  able  soon  to  give  you 
a  richer  account  of  the  displays  of  his  grace,  among  the 
people  of  Mason."  The  second  letter,  giving  a  fuller  account, 
is  as  follows : 

MASON,  May  1,  1826. 

MY  DEAR  Sox : — My  time  is  so  much  taken  up  attending 
meetings,  preaching,  &c.  that  I  can  spare  but  little  for  writing 
now,  and  as  I  scarcely  know  any  thing  that  is  doing  on  the 
farm,  shall  not  attempt  to  tell  you  any  thing  concerning  it  or 
other  worldly  affairs.  I  attend  one  or  more  meetings  every 
day  in  the  week,  except  Saturday.  The  attention  to  religion 
yet  increases.  It  first  appeared  in  the  westerly  part  of  the 
town  and  has  extended  on  to  the  east,  like  the  progress  of  a 
cloud  driven  by  the  wind  and  shedding  down  rain.  At  pres- 
ent it  seems  confined  to  Mason  in  a  great  measure,  if  not 
entirely.  You  remember  that  a  few  years  since,  the  neigh- 
boring towns  had  a  refreshing  shower,  while  not  a  drop  fell 
on  this  barren  spot.  It  seemed  as  if  the  very  lines  of  the 
town  were  a  barrier  to  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  I  pray 
that  the  present  refreshing  cloud  may  spread  over  all  our 
region.  I  have  not  ascertained  exactly  the  number  of  hope- 
ful converts,  but  it  is  probably  not  much  from  eighty,  in  both 
societies,  (the  Congrcgationalist  and  Baptist.)  Thus  far  the 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  35 

work  has  been  different  from  what  has  been  common  in  works 
of  revival  and  reformation.  It  is  principally  among  the  mid- 
dle aged  and  heads  of  families,  and  the  greater  part  of  them 
men ;  comparatively  few  young  men  have  yet  been  subjects  of 
converting  grace.  It  is  devoutly  hoped  that  where  stubborn, 
irreligious  heads  of  families  are  made  to  bow,  there  is  a 
blessing  in  reserve  for  their  children.  I  mourn  to  see  so 
little  effect  on  my  own  family.  This  day,  the  concert  of 
prayer  was  attended,  the  fullest  I  have  attended  in  Mason. 
After  that,  an  enquiry  meeting  was  held  at  my  house ;  more 
than  forty  persons  present,  not  all  enquirers.  This  evening, 
a  very  full  conference,  at  J.  Ws.  I  have  noticed  above, 
stubborn  heads  of  families,  but  here  remark,  some  of  the 
most  moral  and  regular,  have  been  subjects  of  as  deep  and 
pungent  conviction  as  any.  Their  names  will  convey  to  you 
all  that  is  needful,  to  show  you  that  the  most  moral  and 
immoral,  are  included  in  this  work  of  grace.  * 

I  have  mentioned  these  persons,  to  give  you  some  view  of 
the  wonderful  work.  Several  of  these  men  I  have  namedy 
have  their  wives  with  them,  either  rejoicing  in  hope,  or  trem- 
blingly anxious.  And  I  must  name  to  you,  as  trophies  of 
divine  grace,  the  distinguished  worldlings,  ****  **** 
and  ******  *******,  I  must  not  omit  to  men- 
tion your  friend,  W.  B.  He  has  had  a  long  season  of  convic- 
tion, but  has  now  a  very  comfortable,  if  not  joyful  hope.  In 
short,  the  greater  part  of  the  people  of  the  town,  are  unusu- 
ally thoughtful.  It  is  late,  and  I  am  weary.  I  can  write  no 
more,  only  to  commend  you  to  God,  and  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  and  devoutly  pray  that  you  may  share,  and  your 
brothers  and  sisters,  in  the  same  divine  mercy  here  displayed. 

From  your  Father, 

EBENr.  HILL. 

The  next  letter  written  to  the  same  son,  further  described 
the  progress  of  the  revival. 


36  MEMOIR   OF    THE 

MASOX,  January  12,  1827. 

DKAR  SON  : — *  *  *  *  As  for  news  from  this  region,  tho 
report  is.  the  general  state  of  health  is  good.  The  weather 
has  1  tee M  very  mild  and  open  until  Christinas,  then  we  began 
to  experience  Christ  man  -weather.  The  ground  continued  bare 
until  new  year's  day,  when  a  severe  .snow  storm  commenced, 
and  now  we  have  an  old  fashioned  winter,  snow  sufficiently 
deep,  and  drifts  sufficiently  large. 

But  to  come  to  matters  of  more  importance  than  all 
worldly  concerns.  The  state  and  progress  of  religion,  I  think, 
is  still  promising  in  this  town.  After  an  apparent  declension 
for  some  weeks,  of  the  religious  excitement  and  attention 
which  had  existed  and  been  so  powerful  here,  in  some  parts 
of  the  town,  there  is  a  manifest  increased  attention.  There 
has  been  a  short  wintry  season.  Christians  feared  the  work 
of  grace  was  over.  They  were  affected  to  see  the  multitude 
left  out  of  the  ark,  and,  I  believe,  gave  themselves  to  prayer. 
The  church  met  once  and  again  for  conference,  to  enquire  into 
their  own  state  of  feeling,  and  to  search  for  the  causes  of  the 
work  of  God  declining.  Their  hopes  now  begin  to  revive. 
In  some  parts  of  the  town,  the  meetings  arc  full  and  solemn. 
Two  new  eases  of  deep  concern,  and  at  least  of  conviction 
of  danger,  have  come  to  knowledge  this  week.  The  last 

week,  Mr. .  who  has  been  wading  in  deep  waters  since 

last  spring,  fearing  for  himself,  yet  contending  against  God, 
has  discovered  that  nothing  was  in  the  way  of  his  salvation, 
but  his  own  wicked,  rebellious  heart,  and  has  joyfully  bowed 
in  submission.  His  difficulties  all  removed,  so  that  he  won- 
dered at  them,  and  thought  he  could  show  every  one  the  way 
so  that  they  must  see  it.  Alas  !  he  cannot  make  them  open 
their  eye.-.  1  hope;  when  I  write  to  you  again,  I  shall  be  able 
to  write  you  more  similar  interesting  facts.  Through  the 
goodness  of  God,  we  are  all  in  health. 

From  your  affectionate  Father, 

EuENr.  HILL. 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  .  37 

Three  days  later  he  wrote  to  his  eldest  son,  residing  in 
Tennessee.  In  the  following  extracts  from  this  letter,  some 
additional  facts  are  stated. 

••s 

MASON,  January  15,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  CHILDREN  : — *  *  *  *  I  have  another  reason 
however,. for  not  writing  many  letters  in  the  year  that  is 
passed.  We  have  had  a  season  of  unusual  religious  atten- 
tion. The  revival  began  in  the  winter,  and  for  a  time,  very 
few,  if  any  in  all  the  town,  were  not  unusually  thoughtful  and 
solemn.  For  six  or  eight  months,  I  preached  as  often  as 
once  a  day,  or  nearly,  besides  on  the  sabbath,  and  attended 
many  other  meetings.  You  must  be  sensible  my  time  has 
been  fully  occupied,  nevertheless,  I  have  not  forgotten,  but 
daily  remembered  my  absent,  far  distant  children.  0  !  may 
they  be  the  happy  partakers  of  that  mercy  and  grace,  which 
has  been  displayed  here.  We  have  received  into  the  church, 
sixty-seven  members.  Above  thirty  have  joined  the  Baptist 
church.  Probably  fifty  more  entertain  hope  in  Christ.  And 
although  the  work  seems  to  have  abated,  new  cases  of  seri- 
ous concern  occur.  Among  those  who  have  made  profession 
of  religion,  are  our  principal  young  married  men,  who  are 
taking  the  places  of  their  fathers,  gone  and  going  off  the 
stage.  Of  my  family,  only  Lucy  has  made  a  profession  of 
religion.  I  hope  the  rest  are  not  all  without  some  well- 
grounded  hope,  of  having  chosen  the  better  part.  0  !  could 
I  hear  from  my  distant  children,  that  they  are  wise  for  them- 
selves, this  would  indeed  be  good  news  from  a  far  country. 
Will  you  not  each  one,  at  my  request,  on  the  receipt  of  this 
letter,  sit  down  and  calculate  what  will  be  the  real  profit,  to 
gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  the  soul.  Since  the  soul 
may  be  lost,  and  if  lost,  it  is  forever  lost,  every  dictate  of 
reason  and  prudence,  urge  to  attend  to  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  before  any  other  concern.  We  may  trifle  with  solemn 
subjects,  we  may  frame  or  admit  as  forcible,  arguments  which 
may  make  us  careless  about  our  souls,  or  may  quiet  our 
minds,  when  but  little  moved,  but  so  long  as  awake  to  our 
6 


38  MEMOIR   OF   THE7 

eternal  well-being,  nothing  but  hope  like  an  anchor,  can  sup- 
port us;  and  0!  eternity  is  near !  and  as  surely  as  God  is 
lu.lv.  so  must  we  be  holy,  to  be  happy  in  him.  Consider, 
••  Can  two  walk  together,  except  they  be  agreed  ?  "  After 
death,  there  can  be  no  change  until  the  judgment,  the  sen- 
tence then  will  be  eternal. 

From  your  affectionate  Father, 

EBENr.  HILL. 

Such  letters  as  these,  show  something  of  the  rise  and 
progress  of  this  interesting  work  of  grace,  and  also,  exhibit 
the  pastor's  uprightness  and  skill  in  the  work  before  him. 
The  direct  results  of  that  revival,  were  the  addition  of 
eighty-six  members  to  the  Congregational  church,  and  also, 
a  large  number  to  the  Baptist  church.  Religious  things  were 
in  a  better  state,  for  many  years  following  that  interesting 
season,  than  they  had  ever  been  in  Mason.  There  were  no 
new  measures  used,  no  protracted  meetings  in  the  more 
recent  acceptation  of  that  term,  and  not  much  preaching, 
except  by  the  pastor,  and  Mr.  John  Spaulding,  a  young  minis- 
ter, who  was  his  particular  assistant.  There  was  no  effort 
made  to  gather  numbers  into  the  church,  but  an  earnest  effort 
to  have  all  the  professed  converts  well  indoctrinated,  and 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  practical  religious  truth.  Time 
has  given  good  evidence  for  the  greater  part  of  those  con- 
verts, shewing  that  they  were  the  children  of  grace ;  they 
have  been  prominent  in  all  the  religious  affairs  of  the  town, 
from  that  time  until  the  present;  they  are  now  found  the 
active  members  of  the  churches  of  Mason  and  other  places, 
while  some  of  them  have  gone  home,  leaving  behind  them 
evidence  that  they  sleep  in  Jesus. 

In  1831,  the  report  of  the  meetings  held  in  Western  New 
York  under  the  name  of  "three  days  meetings,"  attracted 
attention  abroad,  and  gave  rise  to  the  idea  of  having  them  in 
other  sections,  and  on  the  19th  of  April,  1831,  a  three  days 


BEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  39 

meeting  was  commenced  in  Mason.  It  was  a  new  thing,  and 
attracted  much  attention.  Many  persons  who  had  not  been 
in  the  habit  of  attending  religious  meetings,  were  induced  to 
come  where  the  gospel  was  preached,  and  there  was  a  general 
attention  to  religion  among  all  classes  of  people,  for  a  time. 
Several  persons  were  added  to  the  church,  apparently  the 
fruits  of  this  meeting  and  the  state  of  things  that  followed  it, 
but  nothing  like  a  general  revival  took  place. 

In  1835,  there  was  a  time  of  religious  interest,  which 
resulted  in  the  gathering  of  thirty-eight  persons  into  the 
church.  This  was  the  last  season  of  revival  while  Mr.  Hill 
remained  sole  pastor  of  the  church,  and  during  this  season, 
he  was  aided  for  several  weeks,  by  a  young  man  of  very 
decided  ability,  but  somewhat  erratic,  who  did  not  always 
carry  out  the  views  of  the  pastor  and  the  more  judicious 
members  of  the  church. 

These  seasons  of  revival,  were  the  most  prominent  points 
of  the  long  pastoral  life  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  they 
were  the  harvests  of  the  seed  sown  in  quietness,  and  watched 
and  waited  for  with  care,  at  times  when  no  direct  results 
were  apparent.  Such  times  and  seasons,  when  free  from 
sectarian  zeal,  and  when  they  are,  as  these  were,  the  out- 
growth of  quiet,  permanent  influences,  are  the  richest  rewards 
of  the  pastor's  life,  seasons  of  his  highest  joy  and  most  satis- 
factory labor,  glorious  harvest  scenes,  when  the  souls  of 
men  are  gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Blessed  is  that 
minister,  whose  manner  of  preaching  and  course  of  life,  is 
best  adapted  to  induce  and  promote  them. 

While  attention  should  be  directed  to  the  seasons  of 
revival  in  a  particular  manner,  there  are  many  things  of  a 
different  character,  details  of  common,  practical  life,  that 
need  to  be  given,  in  order  to  exhibit  a  distinct  idea  of  a 
New  England  pastorship,  and  the  general  customs  of  that 
region  during  the  period  of  his  life.  The  customs  of  society 
are  always  silently  changing,  and  the  changes  are,  perhaps, 
as  manifest  in  religious  things,  as  in  any  other.  These 


40  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

chansres,  arc  also  better  seen  in  reviewing  the  long  life  of  a 
simrU-  individual,  than  in  any  other  way. 

During  Mr.  Hill's  life  as  a  minister,  the  most  remarkable 
religious  revolution  that  has  ever  been  seen  in  New  England, 
lu-gaii,  and  passed  on  to  its  full  development ;  it  was  the 
rise  and  progress  of  Unitarianism.  The  germs  of  this  move- 
ment, arc  found  much  farther  back,  but  there  was  nothing  of 
it  visible,  for  years  after  he  began  his  active  ministry.  The 
Calvinism  of  the  puritans,  preserved  the  forms  of  its  ancient 
life  for  many  years  after  its  spirit  ceased  to  live  in  the  heart 
of  many  of  the  churches.  Few  of  the  New  England  churches 
passed  through  the  period  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
retaining  their  ancient  doctrine  and  spirit  entirely  unchanged. 
But  the  development  of  principles  is  always  slow,  and  it  was 
a  long  time  before  this  departure  from  the  ancient  faith, 
became  fully  evident.  The  time  at  length  came,  when  those 
holding  doctrines  so  unlike  as  the  Arminian  or  Socinian  and 
Calvin istic,  could  no  longer  walk  together  in  the  same 
religious  fellowship ;  division  must  take  place.  A  large 
majority  of  the  churches  in  that  section  of  New  England, 
were  divided  into  parties,  known  as  Orthodox  and  Unitarian. 
It  was  a  time  of  difficulty  and  trial ;  a  time,  when  the  ties 
that  had  bound  neighbors  and  families  for  years  in  harmony, 
were  to  be  violently  sundered,  and  two  churches,  often  hostile 
to  each  other,  or  at  least,  one  party  feeling  that  they  had 
been  deeply  wronged,  were  found,  where  but  one  had  been 
before.  In  this  movement,  the  pastor  of  the  church  of  Mason 
never  was  a  prominent  actor.  His  attachment  to  the  Calvin- 
istic  form  of  doctrine  was  strong,  and  his  avowal  of  his  sen- 
timents, bold  and  earnest;  but  he  was  never  in  a  position  to 
become  a  partisan. 

Neither  his  natural  disposition  nor  his  habits  of  life,  fitted 
him  to  be  a  polemic.  In  his  own  parish  but  little  of  the 
Unitarian  element  developed  itself.  The  church  at  its  organ- 
ization, declared  itself  to  be  Calvinistic,  upon  the  basis  of 
doctrines  set  forth  in  the  Westminster  Assembly's  Catechism. 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  41 

Such  had  always  been  the  faith  of  its  pastor,  and  in  this  faith 
the  church  and  people  had  been  carefully  instructed.  At 
an  equal  remove  from  the  Arminianism  of  some  of  the 
churches  in  the  region,  and  the  Hopkinsianism  of  others, 
this  church  had  ever  held,  with  its  pastor,  a  middle  ground ; 
not  a  middle  ground  of  compromises  and  concessions,  but  of 
sound  and  rational  interpretation  and  reception  of  doctrines. 
But  although  not  called  upon  to  meet  and  combat  in  his  own 
parish,  what  he  viewed  to  be  erroneous  doctrines,  he  could 
not  look  with  indifference  on  the  struggle  which  took  place 
between  the  old  and  new  doctrines  in  his  neighborhood.  In 
this  controversy  the  rule  he  adopted  and  followed,  was  that 
to  which  he  adhered  through  his  long  life,  that  is,  first  to 
ascertain  what  is  duty,  and  then  to  the  extent  of  his  ability 
to  do  it,  without  passion,  haste  or  undue  feeling  or  excitement. 
In  two  of  the  adjoining  towns,  this  disturbing  element  appear- 
ed, to  the  interruption  of  the  ancient  harmony  and  fellowship. 
In  this  contingency  he,  without  hesitation,  placed  himself  on 
the  side  of  those  who  held  to  the  ancient  faith,  and  aided 
them  by  his  council  and  services,  and  encouraged  them  to 
establish  for  themselves,  a  church  organization,  and  the  insti- 
tutions of  public  worship. 

In  the  first  portion  of  his  pastorship,  the  system  of  Sab- 
bath School  instruction,  as  now  practiced,  was  not  known  in 
this  region.  But  though  that  important  aid,  now  considered 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  well-being  of  every  church,  did 
not  then  exist,  its  place  was  in  a  good  degree  supplied,  by 
the  careful  attention  given  to  catechetical  instruction.  In 
this  way,  many  minds  were  more  thoroughly  indoctrinated, 
than  most  are,  who  are  taught  in  the  Sabbath  Schools  of 
these  days.  The  following  extract,  from  a  letter  written  by 
one  trained  in  his  congregation,  gives  a  picture  of  the  manner 
of  instruction  then  pursued. 

"The  last  Sabbath  of  every  month,  I  think  it  was,  the 
children,  not  only  of  the  church  but  of  the  parish,  were 
gathered  together,  and  seated  on  the  long  seats  in  front  of 


4*2  MEMOIR   OP  THE 

the  pulpit,  the  girls  on  the  right  hand,  and  the  boys  on  the 
left  of  the  broad  aisle,  to  be  catechised.  Those  were  happy, 
pleasant  times,  I  can  assure  you.  Many  happy  faces  were 
seen  on  catechising  day,  as  it  was  called.  This  was  all  the 
real  public,  personal  instruction  the  children  received,  when 
I  was  young;  and,  in  truth,  it  was  a  great  and  everlasting 
blessimr,  to  both  parents  and  children;  it  was  "line  upon 
line,  and  precept  upon  precept,"  not  soon  to  be  forgotten." 

In  this  matter  of  the  catechism,  his  precept  and  example 
coincided,  for  he  was  ever  careful  to  train  his  own  family, 
into  a  thorough  knoAvlcdge  of  its  principles.  His  usual 
custom  was,  to  assemble  his  whole  family  on  Sabbath  after- 
noon, after  the  second  service,  and  go  through  the  whole  of 
the  Westminster  Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism,  with  great 
care,  interfusing  as  he  went,  his  own  illustrations  and  com- 
ments. This  was  continued,  until  the  youngest  of  his  family 
had  been  trained  through  it.  But  although  he  was  attached 
to  the  catechism,  he  hailed  with  joy  the  rise  of  Sabbath 
Schools.  A  Sabbath  School  was  permanently  established  in 
his  congregation,  about  the  year  1816.  At  that  time,  he 
preached  a  sermon  from  Eccl.  11.  6:  "In  the  morning  sow 
thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not  thine  hand :  for 
thou  knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper,  either  this  or  that, 
or  whether  they  both  shall  be  alike  good."  The  same  person 
who  has  described  his  manner  of  catechetical  instruction,  also 
describes  the  introduction  of  Sabbath  Schools,  as  follows : 
'•Mr.  Hill  made  several  trials  to  have  a  Sabbath  School,  but 
failed,  for  want  of  suitable  superintendents  and  teachers. 
Sometimes  a  few  persons  would  collect  together  for  a  few 
Sabbaths,  and  recite  verses  of  hymns,  learned  probably, 
years  before  at  home,  and  a  few  chapters  of  the  Bible,  and 
then  drop  away  one  by  one,  as  their  stock  of  hymns  wore 
away,  and  the  novelty  wore  off.  The  first  Sabbath  School 
that  was  kept  through  the  summer,  was  in  1816.  *  *  * 
was  the  superintendent.  Three  or  four  females  were  found, 
who  would  go  iu  and  hear  the  children  recite  their  lessons. 


EEV.    EBENEZER   HILL.  43 

It  "was  the  first  Sabbath  School  I  ever  attended.  *  *  * 
would  open  the  school  with  prayer,  and  then  leave.  Some- 
tjynes  he  would  return  in  season  to  close  the  school,  and 
sometimes  we  would  get  tired  of  waiting,  and  leave  for  our 
dinner.  The  children  had  something  set  down  to  them, 
according  to  the  number  of  verses  recited,  and  when  it 
amounted  to  one  cent,  a  ticket  was  given.  At  the  close  of 
the  school,  the  account  was  reckoned  up,  and  a  reward  to  the 
value  of  what  each  child  had  earned,  was  given.  From  the 
commencement  of  the  Sabbath  School,  the  [public]  catechis- 
ing was  given  up." 

In  his  care  for  his  people,  Mr.  Hill  was  an  industrious 
pastor,  watching  closely  every  opportunity  to  interest  and 
benefit  them.  The  sick  and  the  afflicted  in  every  part  of  the 
town,  and  of  every  denomination  and  character,  shared  his 
parochial  care.  He  considered  himself  the  servant  of  the 
whole  town,  and  felt  bound  to  render  them  all  the  aid  in  his 
power.  Whenever  any  accident  or  calamity  occurred,  he  was 
among  the  first  to  be  sent  for,  and  often,  on  like  occasions, 
he  was  called  to  neighboring  towns.  Many  in  town,  who 
neither  did  anything  for  his  support,  nor  attended  his  church, 
were  sure  to  send  for  him  in  time  of  affliction.  A  careful 
observer  of  disease,  his  opinions  and  judgment  respecting  the 
condition  and  prospects  of  the  sick,  were  often  sought  for, 
although  he  never  in  any  way,  intruded  upon  the  physician's 
profession.  A  quiet  self-possession  which  never  forsook  him, 
and  a  general  knowledge  of  the  common  principles  of  physi- 
ology, enabled  him  often  in  cases  of  emergency  to  render 
useful  services,  one  marked  instance  of  which  occurred  at 
Townsend.  It  was  on  the  occasion  of  the  preparatory  lec- 
ture, which  he  was  to  preach.  The  services  had  just  com- 
menced, when  a  sudden  shower  arising  the  house  was  struck 
by  lightning,  and  one  of  the  worshipers  was  left  apparently 
dead.  It  was  a  scene  of  confusion  and  dismay,  in  which  no 
one  seemed  to  know  what  should  be  done.  He  at  once  inter- 
fered and  directed  what  should  be  done,  and  saw  to  the  exe- 


44  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

eution  of  his  order?,  with  so  much  promptness  and  efficacy, 
that  tin-  happy  result  was  the  perfect  restoration  to  life  and 
eventually  to  health,  of  the  apparently  lifeless  sufferer.  * 

An  incident  illustrating  the  character  of  Mr.  Hill,  and 
showing  the  confidence  which  was  placed  in  him  by  his  parish- 
ioners, is  related  thus:  One  of  the  members  of  his  church, 
feeling  himself  aggrieved  with  his  pastor,  on  account  of  some 
matters  growing  out  of  the  politics  of  the  day,  made  a  com- 
plaint against  him  to  the  church,  which  resulted  in  the  calling 
of  a  council,  before  which,  the  matter  was  to  be  laid.  As 
the  time  for  the  hearing  approached,  the  complainant  found 
that  it  was  necessary  on  his  part,  that  the  subject  matter  of 
his  complaint,  should  be  put  in  proper  form,  to  be  presented 
to  the  council.  The  brother,  having  exhausted  his  own  skill 
in  his  efforts  to  draw  up,  and  present  his  complaint  in  proper 
form,  and  not  succeeding  to  his  mind,  finally  brought  his 
papers  to  his  accused  pastor,  whom  he  was  about  to  bring  for 
trial  before  the  council,  and  asked  his  aid  in  putting  his  accu- 
sation into  proper  form,  which  was  readily  and  cheerfully 
given.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  council,  a  large  part  of 
which,  were  the  political  friends  of  the  complaining  brother, 
after  the  hearing,  by  an  unanimous  vote,  exonerated  the  pas- 
tor fully,  from  all  the  charges  in  the  complaint. 

Thus  time  passed  rapidly  on,  bringing  the  various  changes 
related  above,  and  Mr.  Hill,  leading  a  quiet  and  cheerful  life, 
was  .silently  growing  old.  In  1836,  he  was  by  far  the  oldest 
active  pastor,  in  that  region  of  country,  and  although  appa- 
rently as  well  able  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  office,  as  he 
had  ever  been,  he  proposed  of  his  own  accord,  to  his  people, 
that  they  should  .select  a  young  man  as  colleague  with  him, 
in  the  pastorship  of  the  church,  offering,  at  the  same  time,  to 
relinquish  his  whole  salary,  in  order  that  the  younger  man 
might  receive  a  support.  On  this  subject,  Rev.  John  Spauld- 
irig.  who  was  the  one  first  written  to  by  the  church,  to  act 
as  colleague,  says  "Sometime  before  he  resigned,  and  before 
his  people  agitated  that  question,  he  called  a  public  meeting 


REV.    EBENEZEB    HILL.  45 

of  his  people,  and  reminded  them  that  he  was  growing  old, 
expressed  his  willingness  to  resign,  and  suggested  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  nominate  a  successor.  The 
committee  was  appointed,  including  himself  as  chairman.  In 
behalf  of  the  committee  and  the  congregation,  he  addressed 
me  on  the  subject,  and  after  urging  various  reasons  why  I 
should  leave  a  western  for  an  eastern  field  of  labor,  he  char- 
acteristically remarked,  "I  wish  to  resign  my  pastoral  charge, 
now,  while  I  am  in  full  possession  of  my  mental  faculties, 
lest,  in  remaining  longer,  they  become  so  impaired,  I  shall  be 
unwilling  to  resign."  The  proposed  arrangement  was  made 
in  the  most  amicable  manner,  with  the  undiminished  confi- 
dence and  regard  of  all  parties.  Mr.  Hill  performed  all  his 
duties  as  -before,  until  a  colleague  was  found  in  the  Rev. 
Andrew  H.  Reed,  who  was  installed  November  the  23d, 
1836. 

A  new  society  having  been  formed  in  connection  with  the 
church,  a  new  meeting  house  was  builtln  1837,  leaving  the 
old  one  to  stand  unoccupied,  and  Mr.  Hill  took  leave  of  the 
place  where  he  had  spent  so  many  happy  Sabbaths.  In  his 
farewell  sermon  delivered  in  the  old  meeting  house,  in  No- 
vember, 1837,  on  taking  leave  of  that  edifice,  he  declared  of 
the  pulpit  in  which  he  was  then  standing,  "  This  is  the  dearest 
spot  on  earth  to  me."  In  this  sermon,  he  reviewed  the  his- 
tory of  the  church,  during  the  period  of  its  occupancy  of  that 
house.  It  is  thought  that  this  sermon  is  worthy  of  preser- 
vation, and  it  is  included  among  his  discourses  inserted  in  this 
volume. 

Mr.  Reed  remained  until  December  llth,  1839,  when  he 
was,  at  his  own  request,  dismissed,  and  Mr.  Hill  again 
resumed  his  post  as  an  active  pastor,  and  continued  his 
labors,  until  he  was  succeeded  by  his  own  son,  Joseph  Ban- 
croft Hill,  who  began  his  labors  in  August  1st,  1840,  and  was 
installed  as  co-pastor,  October  20th,  1841.  Mr.  J.  B.  Hill 
remained,  until  preparations  were  made  for  the  division  of 
the  church,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  the  Mason  village 
7 


46  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

church,  in  February,  1847,  after  which  at  his  own  request,  his 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved,  by  the  result  of  a  council 
held  April  22d,  1847.  The  church  did  not  secure  a  perma- 
nent pastor,  until  1851,  when  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Armcs  was 
installed  as  colleague  with  Mr.  Hill,  and  he  remained  pastor 
until  the  decease  of  Mr.  Hill. 

Mr.  Hill  was  always  fond  of  preaching.  The  gospel  was 
to  him,  a  great  reality,  and  he  was  happy  in  his  work,  as  a 
herald  of  its  glorious  truth.  After  his  retirement  from  the 
active  duties  of  his  own  parish,  he  still  continued  to  preach, 
for  many  years.  He  preached  regularly  for  some  time  in 
Sharon,  and  after  the  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Tinker,  of  Ashby, 
he  supplied  the  pulpit  there,  for  a  short  time,  but  his  most 
useful  labors,  were  at  Brooklinc.  The  church  in-  Brookliue 
was  small,  and  disheartened  by  a  series  of  untoward  circum- 
stances. Their  meeting  house,  which,  like  the  first  houses 
in  all  that  section,  was  built  by  the  town,  passed  from  their 
control,  and  they  were  left,  few  in  number,  as  sheep  without 
a  shepherd.  In  this  condition,  they  spoke  of  disbanding,  and 
scattering  to  other  towns,  for  the  purposes  of  worship,  but 
Mr.  Hill  encouraged  them  to  remain  together,  and  offered  to 
preach  for  them  until  they  could  secure  a  pastor.  He  encour- 
aged and  aided  them  in  their  efforts  to  build  a  meeting  house 
of  their  own,  remaining  with  them  as  pastor,  preaching  in  the 
school  houses  of  the  town.  Soon  after  their  house  was  com- 
pleted, he  met  with  a  recent  graduate  of  Andover,  who  was 
not  then  employed,  and  he  was  so  much  pleased  with  him, 
that  he  engaged  him  to  preach  for  a  single  Sabbath,  in  Brook- 
line,  and  he  was  there  and  heard  him.  So  confident  was  he, 
that  God  had  sent  them  the  right  man,  at  the  right  time,  he 
at  once  informed  the  church  that  he  should  preach  for  them 
no  more,  and  urged  them  to  secure  the  services  of  the  candi- 
date without  delay.  They  followed  his  advice,  and  the  result 
wa.s  the  settlement  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Goodwin  over  that 
church,  and  time  has.  fully  shown  the  wisdom  of  the  choice. 
Mr.  Goodwin  in  a  letter  to  the  writer,  says  "It  was  through 


REV.    EBENEZER   HILL.  47 

his  (Mr.  Hill's)  agency  alone,  that  I  came  to  occupy  this 
post." 

In  the  year  1839,  and  again  in  1840,  Mr.  Hill  was  elected 
by  the  town,  a  representative  to  the  state  legislature,  and 
served  as  such,  in  the  sessions  of  those  years.  He  was  never 
a  political  partisan,  but  he  was  firm  and  decided  in  his  politi- 
cal views,  and  was  well  known  as  an  advocate  of  the  general 
policy  of  the  whig  party.  While  in  Concord,  he  wrote  to 
his  youngest  son,  June  16th,  1839,  "It  has  fallen  to  me,  to 
perform  the  duty  of  chaplain,  most  of  the  time.  Some  of 
the  members  of  the  house,  were  opposed  to  having  prayers 
by  any  person,  yet  there  was  a  good  majority  for  it,  and  it 
was  determined  that  the  service  should  be  performed  by  the 
clergymen  belonging  to  the  house.  When  the  search  was 
made,  it  was  found  there  were  but  two  in  the  house,  myself, 
and  Mr.  Whitaker  of  Weare,  (a  Free  Will  Baptist.)  We 
have  leave  to  invite  others  to  perform  with  us."  The  follow- 
ing letter  was  written  from  the  house  of  representatives,  to 
the  same  son,  then  a  member  of  Dartmouth  College. 

CONCORD,  June  20th,  1840. 

MY  SON  : — I  received  yours  by  Mr.  B ,  and  was  glad  to 

hear  of  your  health.  I  spent  last  Sabbath  at  home,  and  can 
inform  you  that  all  the  family  were  then  well.  This  week 
has  hitherto  been  a  noisy  week;  and  I  have  been  much 
wearied  with  it.  I  do  not  attempt  to  describe  to  you,  the 
scenes  of  Wednesday.  It  has  been  calculated,  that  not  less 
than  seven  thousand  men  formed  and  marched  on  to  the  hill 
in  procession ;  and  I  sho.uld  judge  there  were  as  many  in  the 
streets,  and  on  the  hill,  as  in  the  procession.  There  was 
speaking  in  abundance.  General  Wilson  took  up  at  least 
two  hours,  ii^a  continued  strain  of  eloquence.  Our  session 
is  short,  it  will  close  Saturday  morning.  It  has,  on  the 
whole,  been  a  quiet  and  peaceable  session ;  nothing  of  a  very 
exciting  nature  has  come  forward,  to  stir  up  bad  feelings.  I 
send  you  a  small  sum  of  money,  which  I  hope  will  be  a 
supply  for  your  present  wants.  I  have  full  confidence  that 


48  MEMOIR   OP    THE 

you  do.  and  that  you  will,  use  all  the  economy,  that  is  ncces- 
surv  for  a  poor  scholar  to  use.  But  I  most  earnestly  desire, 
that  while  you  are  cultivating  the  mind,  and  laboring  to  fit 
yourself  for  usefulness,  you  will  have  great  watchfulness  over 
your  heart,  and  strive  to  grow  in  grace.  Ambition  for  dis- 
tinction as  a  scholar,  has  often  proved  detrimental  to  spirit- 
ual improvement ;  your  only  safety  is  in  continued  prayer. 
*  *  *  #  *  # 

From  your  Father, 

EBENr.  HILL. 

At  this  time  occurred  an  incident  of  a  domestic  character, 
which  will  long  be  remembered  by  his  family;  it  was  the 
meeting  of  his  whole  family,  for  the  first  and  only  time. 
Mr.  Hill  had  a  numerous  family  of  children,  and  they  were 
early  and  widely  scattered  from  their  father's  house.  The 
eldest  left  home,  and  settled  in  Fayettcville,  Tennessee, 
before  the  birth  of  the  youngest,  and  he  did  not  revisit  the' 
place  of  his  birth,  until  the  youngest  had  grown  up  to  man- 
hood. In  July,  1844,  there  was  a  meeting  of  all  the  living 
children,  ten  in  number,  at  their  father's  house.  It  was  a 
time  of  the  deepest  interest  to  all  parties,  of  joy  to  the 
parents,  at  the  sight  of  long  absent  children,  pleasure  among 
the  children,  of  forming  acquaintance  with  those  they  knew 
and  loved  by  report,  but  who  were  strangers  in  fact. 

The  time  spent  together  by  the  family,  was  quite  short. 
The  intercourse  was  most  cheerful  and  social,  but  partook 
larirfly  of  a  religious  character;  and  the  father  threw  a  hal- 
lowed feeling  of  calm  religious  reverence,  into  his  most  com- 
mon actions.  The  worship  around  the  family  altar,  the  visits 
at  different  places,  were  all  full  of  tenderness,  and  cheerful 
religion*  emotion.  After  a  few  days  spent  togeUier,  the  com- 
pany separated,  each  to  his  home,  and  never  met  again. 

Mr.  Hill  retained  all  his  faculties,  both  of  body  and  mind, 
with  a  good  degree  of  activity,  until  about  the  year  1846, 
wh«-n  he  began  perceptibly  to  fail  in  both.  There  was  no 
sudden  change,  but  a  gradual  decline  of  all  his  powers.  His 


EEV.   EBENEZEB    HILL.  49 

• 

health  was  good,  but  his  strength  was  wasting  away,  his 
memory  was  broken,  and  his  mind  ceased  to  act  with  its 
accustomed  vigor.  It  was  the  decline  that  knows  no  restora- 
tion; the  shadows  of  evening,  precursors  of  the  sunset  of 
life.  About  the  last  of  1851,  the  childhood  of  extreme  old 
age  began  to  come  over  him.  There  was  little  of  sickness,  or 
apparently  of  pain,  but  a  gradual  wasting  away  of  strength, 
until  about  the  middle  of  May,  1854,  when,  in  consequence  of 
having  taken  a  slight  cold,  there  was  induced  a  low  stage  of 
fever,  under  which  he  suffered  until  the  20th  day  of  May, 
1854,  when  he  quietly  fell  asleep.  His  exit  from  the  scenes 
of  time,  was  perfectly  calm ;  there  was  not  a  struggle  or  a 
groan ;  his  breathing  grew  difficult,  short,  and  with  intervals 
between  each  respiration,  until  it  gently  ceased  forever.  He 
slept  in  Jesus,  on  the  morning  of  the  20th  day  of  May,  1854, 
an  old  man,  full  of  days.  His  age  was  eighty-eight  years, 
three  months,  and  twenty-one  days. 

On  the  23d,  his  funeral  took  place.  He  was  followed  to 
the  grave  by  a  great  concourse  of  relations,  friends  and 
parishioners.  The  day  was  calm  and  bright,  in  which  he  was 
laid  to  rest.  The  mild  sunshine  of  spring  fell  upon  the 
world  of  nature  bursting  into  life ;  the  trees  and  shrubs,  many 
of  which  planted  by  his  own  hand,  bordered  the  road  leading 
from  his  dwelling  to  the  graveyard,  awaking  from  the  death 
and  sleep  of  winter  to  the  bloom  and  verdure  of  spring, 
were  emblems  fit  of  the  resurrection  that  awaits  the  good, 
after  the  winter  of  the  grave.  On  such  a  day  he  was  borne 
to  his  resting  place,  into  which  he  had  seen  all  but  a  few 
scattered  surviving  remnants  of  his  original  congregation, 
one  after  another,  gathered.  It  was  fitting  that  he  too  should 
slumber  there,  pastor  and  people  together,  until  the  final 
morning  hour.  Of  the  large  concourse  which  followed  him 
to  the  grave,  few  had  known  him  before  the  meridian  of  life, 
and  fewer  still  had  witnessed  his  ordination  day.  But  one 
person,  who  was  a  member  of  the  church  when  he  was 
ordained,  survived  him ;  and  the  church  of  this  day  is  com- 


50  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

• 

posed  mainly  of  the  children  and  grandchildren  of  those 
who  were  his  people  then. 

Thus  within  sight  of  the  dwelling-  he  had  so  long  occupied, 
was  he  left  to  repose,  in  the  ancient  graveyard ;  "  the  garden 
of  the  dead,"  which  in  his  latter  years,  he  was  wont  frequent- 
ly to  visit,  and  there  to  spend  the  declining  hours  of  the 
summer  afternoon,  calling  up  to  recollection,  the  forms  of 
the  departed  sleeping  there ;  his  family,  his  parishioners,  his 
neighbors  and  intimate  friends  of  two  entire  generations, 
whom  he  had  attended  to  this,  their  last  resting  place,  and 
whose  company  he  was  shortly  expecting,  and  patiently  wait- 
ing to  join. 

The  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  A.  W.  Burn- 
ham,  of  Rindge ;  the  successor  of  his  own  venerated  instruc- 
tor, and  for  many  years,  a  valued  personal  friend.  The 
following  extract  from  this  discourse,  exhibits  the  view  there- 
in presented  of  the  personal  and  professional  character  of 
the  deceased. 

"As  a  man,  our  departed  father  was  small  in  stature,  but 
of  a  firm,  vigorous,  well  constituted  frame,  of  sound  constitu- 
tion, he  enjoyed  remarkable  health,  till  overtaken  by  the 
infirmities  of  old  age.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  for  fifty 
years  he  was  detained  from  public  worship,  but  two  Sabbaths. 
Exceedingly  amiable  in  his  disposition,  moderate  in  his  tem- 
perament, a  mind  well  balanced,  conceptions  clear,  reasoning 
powers  of  no  mean  order,  with  no  inconsiderable  degree  of 
shrewdness,  he  had  a  large  share  of  that  quality  so  much 
needed,  but  unhappily  not  possessed  by  every  minister:  good 
common  Hen.se,  .sense  that  could  be  used  for  good  in  the  exi- 
gencies of  life.  In  his  deportment,  grave,  as  befitting  a  min- 
ister of  Christ,  gentlemanly  and  courteous  in  his  bearing,  he 
wa.s  instructive  in  conversation,  familiar  and  pleasant  in  all 
social  intercourse,  in  the  family,  among  his  people,  and  his 
brethren. 

Jn  his  domestic  relations,  true-hearted,  kind  and  careful, 
he  aimed  to  fulfil  every  conjugal  and  parental  duty,  in  the 


REV.    EBENEZER    HILL.  51 

fear  of  God,  and  with  a  conscientious  regard  to  the  highest 
welfare  of  the  numerous  household,  of  which  he  was  the 
head. 

"As  a  Christian,  he  appears  to  have  had  deep  experience  in 
spiritual  graces.  Profoundly  reverent  of  God  and  sacred 
things,  he  was  imbued  with  love  to  God,  his  house,  people, 
word  and  worship,  submissive  in  trials,  patient  in  tribulation, 
rejoicing  in  hope,  and  relying  on  Christ  alone  for  acceptance, 
he  aimed  and  was  enabled  to  maintain  a  devout  walk  with 
God.  As  a  theologian  he  was  sound  in  the  faith,  holding  the 
system  of  doctrines,  usually  denominated  Calviaistic,  as  set 
forth  in  the  Assembly's  Catechism. 

"  As  a  preacher,  plain,  effective  and  impressive,  he  set  forth 
with  simplicity  and  earnestness,  in  the  mode  and  style  of  the 
generation  to  which  he  belonged,  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
in  their  true  aspects  and  bearings,  always  careful  to  engraft 
upon  them,  the  enforcement  of  practical  godliness,  as  their 
genuine  fruit. 

"  In  his  pastoral  intercourse  and  duties,  our  reverend  father 
set  an  example  worthy  to  be  imitated  by  all  who  hold  the 
same  office.  Deeply  interested  in  all  that  affected  the  wel- 
fare of  his  people,  he  was  affectionate  yet  faithful,  and  having 
drunk  deeply  of  the  cup  of  affliction  himself,  he  was  able  and 
ready  to  sympathize  with  his  people,  and  administer  to  them 
the  same  consolations  wherewith  he  himself  was  comforted, 
of  God.  And  as  he  watched  for  souls,  as  one  that  must  give 
an  account,  God  gave  him  success  in  his  ministry.  While 
under  his  regular  ministrations,  the  children  of  God  were 
nourished  up  unto  eternal  life,  and  sinners  were  occasionally 
gathered  into  the  fold ;  several  seasons  of  spiritual  refresh- 
ing, more  or  less  general  in  their  extent,  and  abundant  in 
their  fruits,  were  enjoyed.  In  those  days,  the  pastor  rejoiced, 
labored  and  prayed  with  a  diligence,  fervency  and  faithfulness 
becoming  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  evincing  the  tender 
concern  he  cherished,  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  flock 
over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  had  made  him  overseer.  In  a 


52  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

word,  lie  was  a  good  ininistor  of  Jesus  Christ,  one  who 
studied  to  show  hiuiseli'  approved  of  God,  a  workman  that 
needed  not  to  lie  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth." 

Due  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  of  a  neighboring  town, 
and  who,  in  point  of  age,  approached  the  nearest  to  the 
deceased,  writes  of  the  deceased,  "He  was  a  man  of  good 
intellectual  powers,  well  educated,  andthis  mind  was  well 
stored  with  theoretical  and  practical  knowledge.  He  might 
have  filled  almost  any  department  in  public  life,  with  credit 
and  usefulness/'  Another,  whose  acquaintance  with  him 
commenced  after  old  age  had  gently  laid  its  hand  upon  him, 
writes  as  follows:  "Were  I  to  speak  of  him  in  general  terms, 
1  should  say,  he  was  distinguished  for  a  somewhat  rare,  yet 
exceedingly  desirable  combination  of  qualities,  which  ren- 
dered him  agreeable  and  instructive  to  all  parties,  gave  him  a 
peculiar  ease  and  familiarity,  and  at  the  same  time,  a  decis- 
ion, energy,  dignity,  and  solemnity,  which  are  rarely  found  .in 
the  same  person. 

Children  were  al \vays  interested  in  him,  and  I  think  none 
would  be  disposed,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  to  shun  his 
presence,  for  his  manner  and  conversation  were  admirably 
lilted  to  plaee  them  at  their  ease,  and  secure  their  confidence. 
He  possessed,  for  certainly  he  exhibited,  a  great  amount  of 
kind,  social,  benevolent  feeling.  His  house  was  always  a 
welcome  home  for  clergymen,  and  for  others  who  sought  his 
aid  and  direction.  1  have  said  he  was  an  old  man,  when  I 
first  became  acquainted  with  him,  but  I  would  rather  say,  that, 
in  u  most  important  sense,  he  was  never  old.  He  certainly 
kept  up  with  the  .spirit  and  enterpri/.e  of  the  age  if  he  did 
not  go  before  it,  and  kept  himself  thoroughly  versed  in  rela- 
tion to  all  questions  of  doctrine  and  practice,  and  adapted  him- 
self with  great  ease  and  propriety,  to  the  occuring  changes  and 
exigencies.  Thus  by  keeping  up  his  acquaintance  Avith  these 
matters  till  the  last,  he  was  always  a  warm  friend  of  younger 
brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  was  always  regarded  by  them 


REV.    EBEVEZER   HILL.  53 

as  a  father  in  affection  and  interest.  Hence  too,  his  services, 
after  he  had  ceased  to  be  the  active  pastor  of  his  own  church, 
were  frequently  sought,  and  highly  prized  by  the  neighboring 
churches.  *  *  As  a  pastor,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  and  I 
speak  in  part  from  what  I  have  felt,  he  had  few  equals.  It 
was  my  privilege,  when  a  beloved  wife  was  lingering  under  a 
fatal  disease,  through  ten  long  months,  to  enjoy  his  frequent 
calls,  and  well  do  I  recollect  how  much  these  visits  were 
prized,  not  only  by  myself,  but  by  her  whose  spirit  was 
ripening  and  longing  for  heaven."  On  this  subject  also,  Mr. 
Spaulding  has  said,  "  What  a  father  and  friend  was  he,  in  the 
house  of  mourning  !  ho V appropriate  his  addresses  and  ser- 
mons, how  specific  and  well  suited  his  prayers  !  and  how  sym- 
pathetic his  heart  in  the  sick  room,  and  on  funeral  occasions." 

There  was  much  of  tender  earnestness  in  his  addresses  at 
the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  in  all  things  con- 
nected with  the  examinations  for  admissions  to  the  church. 
He  loved  to  dwell  on  those  themes,  that  are  peculiarly  appro- 
priate to  the  communion  season ;  they  were  ever  new  to  his 
taste,  and  sources  of  deep  emotion,  which  he  manifested  in 
his  addresses  at  such  times. 

A  lady  who  united  with  his  church  quite  early  in  life,  thus 
writes  on  that  subject:  "Do  you  remember  the  day  when 
we  were  examined  for  admission  to  the  church,  at  the  old 
meeting  house  ?  There  was  one  little  incident  connected 
with  it,  which  I  shall  ever  remember.  As  my  name  was 
called,  and  I  started  tremblingly  up  the  broad  aisle  with  but 
little  thought  that  I  should  be  accepted,  the  pastor  met  me, 
and  as  he  took  my  brief  "experience"  from  my  hand,  said, 
with  his  kindest  look  and  tone,  "We  love  to  see  the  lambs 
come."  How  assured  I  felt.  It  seemed  as  if  the  Good  Shep- 
herd was  speaking  to  me  through  him.  I  always  love  to 
remember  that  I  united  with  the  church,  when  he  was  the 
only  pastor." 

Mr.  Hill  was  in  his  person  small,  not  much  exceeding  in 
stature  five  feet,  but  perfectly  symmetrical  in  his  limbs  and 


54  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

proportions,  quick  and  active  in  his  movements,  of  a  cheerful 
temperament,  fnitral  and  temperate  in  his  habits,  industrious 
and  economical  in  worldly  affairs.  He  enjoyed  through  his 
lontr  HIV,  a  remarkable  degree  of  health  and  exemption  from 
sickness  and  pain,  having  never  been  confined  to  his  bed  for 
the  space  of  twenty  four  hours,  until  his  last  sickness,  less 
than  one  week  before  his  death.  With  small  means,  he 
brousrht  up.  in  a  respectable  style,  his  numerous  family,  all  of 
whom  were  trained  to  habits  of  industry  arid  constant  em- 
plovmcnt,  to  which  they  owe  their  success  in  life.  He  care- 
fully and  sedulously  accustomed  them  all,  in  early  life,  to  im- 
prove all  leisure  time  in  reading  useful  and  instructive  books, 
a  taste  and  habit  which  they  have  great  reason  to  thank  him 
for  implanting  and  cultivating  at  that  early  period.  He  never 
had  the  means  to  acquire  an  extensive  library,  but  he  had 
many  rare  and  valuable  books,  among  which  were  the  works 
of  William  Perkins,  of  whom  Fuller  quaintly  says,  "He  had 
a  capacious  head  with  angles  winding,  and  roomy  enough  in 
which  to  lodge  all  controversial  intricacies/'  of  Owen  and  other 
puritan  divines  of  the  age  of  Cromwell,  some  of  the  works 
of  Baxter,  of  Bishop  Patrick,  of  John  Newton,  and  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  Xew  England  churches,  Richard  Mather,  Samuel 
Shepherd,  John  Wise  of  Ipswich,  "the  simple  cobbler  of  Aga- 
wam,"  Increase  and  Cotton  Mather,  and  Edwards.  These, 
with  the  social  library,  a  small  but  well-selected  collection, 
whirl)  he  was  instrumental  in  forming  about  the  year  1802, 
were  his  sole  reliance  in  the  way  of  literature.  It  is  a  ques- 
tion well  worth  propounding,  which  deserved  best  of  their  gen- 
oration,  those  who  collected  the  social  library  and  for  more 
than  thirty  years  used  it  and  preserved  it  in  good  condition, 
or  those  who  sold  and  scattered  it  to  the  four  winds  of 
heaven.  Jlis  literary  taste  was  sound  and  correct.  His  style 
of  writing,  was  plain  and  simple,  free  from  ornament;  the 
sub-tancc  of  his  discourses  was  direct  and  practical. 

Of  the  English  poets,  Milton,  Pope,  Young,  and   Cowper, 
were  his  favorite  authors.     But  with  him,  the  book  of  books 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  55 

•was  the  bible.  To  it,  he  always  appealed.  From  it,  all  his 
illustrations  and  proofs  were  drawn.  His  habits  of  study 
were  little  methodical.  The  subject  upon  which  he  was  to 
preach,  would  be  thought  over  in  his  own  mind  during  the 
week,  but  generally,  he  would  not  commence  writing  until 
Saturday.  Then  his  discourses,  both  for  forenoon  and  after- 
noon upon  the  same  text,  would  be  fully  written  out,  but 
often  not  until  late  in  the  night  of  Saturday.  When  compos- 
ing his  discourses,  he  had  the  p6wer  of  abstraction,  in  an 
unusual  degree ;  so  that  when  seated  by  the  cheerful  fire,  of 
a  Saturday  evening,  surrounded  by  his  family,  uninterrupted 
by  their  conversation  or  employments,  he  would  pursue  the 
train  of  thought  induced  by  the  subject  selected,  and  follow 
it  with  a  speedy  pen,  with  as  much  regularity  and  composure 
as  if  in  the  recesses  of  the  most  retired  study. 

Although  his  public  discourses  were  all  carefully  pre- 
pared and  written  out,  he  was  by  no  means  deficient  in  the 
power  of  ready  and  forcible  extemporaneous  discourse. 
This  was  often  witnessed  on  funeral  occasions,  and  in  meet- 
ings for  conference  upon  religious  topics.  On  these  last 
occasions,  frequently  taking  a  passage  of  scripture,  sometimes 
a  part,  or  the  whole  of  a  chapter,  reading  it  verse  by  verse, 
he  would  accompany  the  reading  with  an  extemporaneous 
commentary  and  explanation,  which  would  be  pertinent,  apt 
and  profitable  to  the  hearers.  Such  meetings  were  his  delight. 
He  attended  them  constantly  and  regularly,  till  the  physical 
and  mental  disability  attendant  on  old  age,  deprived  him  of 
the  power  so  to  do.  And,  in  the  last  years  of  his  life,  when 
his  mental  power  was  broken,  and  his  mind  was  often  wan- 
dering, he  would  many  times  on  a  winter's  evening,  when  the 
household  work  was  done,  and  his  family,  then  reduced  to  a 
small  number,  were  seated  by  the  parlor  fire,  fancy  himself  in 
the  conference  room,  and  commence  an  exhortation  in  a  quiet, 
low,  indistinct  tone  of  voice,  and  continue  it  for  the  space  of 
half  an  hour  or  more ;  then  having  closed  and  dismissed  his 
meeting,  he  would  rouse  up  and  remark  that  it  had  been  a 


56  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

very  pleasant  meeting,  and  enquire  whether  a  goodly  number 
had  atU'iuled. 

lie  was  not  fitted  by  nature,  nor  trained  by  habit  to  be  a 
pioneer.  He  seldom  sought  out  of  his  own  accord,  new 
paths.  He  was  content  to  walk  in  the  old  and  trodden  ways, 
but  still,  he  was  always  ready  to  welcome  and  further  all 
new  movements  which  he  judged  tended  to  the  improvement 
and  benefit  of  the  human  family.  As  such,  he  gave  a  ready 
and  hearty  welcome  to  the  temperance  movement,  which  has 
produced  in  many  places,  such  immense  good.  The  habit  of 
using  ardent  spirits  as  a  beverage,  was  universal  in  his  early 
life,  and  until  he  had  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  he  never 
thought  it  a  duty  to  abstain,  or  that  the  indulgence  of  the 
habit  was  dangerous.  The  same  was  the  case,  with  all  the 
clergy  of  his  day,  and  indeed  of  all  the  gentry,  and  it  may  be 
said  of  all  the  people.  Some  of  the  clergy  of  his  acquain- 
tance fell  victims  of  this  indulgence,  and  the  wonder  is,  not 
that  here  and  there  one  was  swept  away  by  the  demon,  but 
that  all  did  not  go  down. 

These  warning  examples  produced  no  effect;  but  when  the 
public  mind  was  aroused  to  the  consideration  of  this  evil,  he 
at  once  saw,  as  every  man  of  sense  must  see,  that  the  only 
safe  rule,  was  total  abstinence.  He  readily  adopted  it,  and 
from  that  time  to  the  close  of  his  life,  a  period  of  some 
twenty-live  or  thirty  years,  strictly  practiced  total  abstinence 
from  all  intoxicating  liquors.  He  also  abandoned  the  use  of 
tobacco,  to  which  he  had  been  addicted  from  early  life.  He 
was  ready  to  testify  to  the  perfect  safety  of  the  immediate 
adoption  of  total  abstinence  in  both  cases,  and  to  the  happy 
effect  of  the  reformation,  whether  regard  be  had  to  peace  and 
comfort,  either  physically  or  mentally  considered. 

Another  instance  of  the  readiness  with  which  he  saw,  and 
appreciated  the  importance  of  new  movements,  first  brought 
forward  by  others,  has  already  been  stated  on  page  42,  in 
regard  to  the  introduction  of  a  new  system  of  sabbath  school 
instruction. 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  57 

In  the  sermon  there  referred  to,  he  directed  the  attention 
of  his  people  to  the  importance  of  the  early  education  of 
children,  in  matters  of  religion,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
scriptures,  and  urged  them  to  new  and  more  persevering 
efforts  in  that  direction ;  and  from  that  time,  so  long  as  he 
was  able  to  take  any  part  in  this  portion  of  Christian  duty, 
he  devoted  a  large  share  of  his  time,  to  the  sabbath  schools ; 
and  he  left  among  his  papers,  at  his  decease,  manuscript  ques- 
tions carefully  prepared  by  him  for  his  own  use,  as  a  sabbath 
school  teacher,  embracing  the  whole  circle  of  sabbath  school 
instruction,  usually  undertaken  in  his  parish.  His  last  efforts 
as  a  religious  teacher,  were  bestowed  upon  the  children  of  his 
parish. 

This  summary  of  his  life  and  character  cannot  be  better 
concluded,  than  with  the  closing  sentences  of  a  notice  of  him, 
published  soon  after  his  death,  in  The  Congregationalist.  "  In 
his  later  years  especially,  he  was  accustomed  to  spend  several 
hours  each  day,  in  reading  the  Bible  and  in  communion  with 
his  Savior.  His  humility  was  manifest,  and  also  his  love  of 
the  sanctuary.  To  him  "  Christ  was  all,"  and  self  was  mor- 
tified and  forgotten.  His  regard  for  his  church  was  ever  the 
same,  he  cherished  for  it  an  undeviating  affection.  Between 
him  and  his  colleagues,  there  was  perfect  harmony.  He 
never  gave  them  the  least  trouble.  The  ruling  purpose  of 
his  mind  showed  itself,  amid  all  his  infirmities.  Often  •  when 
he  was  unable  to  preserve  the  sequence  of  his  thoughts  on 
ordinary  subjects,  and  when  he  scarcely  knew  whether  it  was 
morning  or  evening,  he  would  offer  prayer  in  a  perfectly 
coherent  manner,  as  if  his  family  were  gathered  around  him. 
The  Christian  graces  all  seemed  to  be  ripe  in  him,  years 
before  his  exit,  and  he  "came  to  his  grave  in  a  full  age,  like 
as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season." 

"  Soldier  of  Christ  well  done, 
Praise  be  thy  new  employ, 
And  while  eternal  ages  runj 
Rest  in  thy  Savior's  joy.' ' 


A   SERMON, 


PREACHED  IN  THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE,  IN  MASON,  NOVEM- 
BER, 1837, 

ON  THE  OCCASION  OF  THE  REMOVAL  BY  THE  CHURCH  AND  SOCIETY,  OP 
THEIR  PLACE  OF  WORSHIP,  TO  THE  NEW  MEETING  HOUSE, 

BY    THE    EEV.    EBENEZER   HILL. 


DEUT.    XXXII.     7. 
Remember  the  days  of  old,  consider  the  years  of  many  generations. 

WHEN  Moses  had  conducted  the  children  of  Israel,  God's 
chosen  people  from  Egypt,  through  the  great  and  terrible 
wilderness  to  the  very  borders  of  Canaan,  and  was  informed 
that  the  time  was  just  arrived,  that  he  should  leave  them  and 
be  gathered  to  the  great  congregation  of  the  dead,  by  divine 
direction  he  gathered  the  people  together,  and  rehearsed  in 
their  ears  the  great  things  God  had  done  for  them,  and  put 
them  in  mind  of  their  many  provoking  sins  and  acts  of 
rebellion,  and  of  the  many  judgments  God  brought  on  them 
and  their  fathers  for  their  sins  and  provocations,  and  also, 
the  great  mercy  of  God  in  sparing  them.  And  when  he  had 
written  the  history  of  the  law  to  be  deposited  in  the  sacred 
ark,  by  the  same  divine  command,  he  was  led  to  compose  a 
hymn  or  song,  comprehending  the  important  facts  in  their 
past  history,  likewise  containing  many  predictions  of  future 
events.  This  was  designed  for  them  to  commit  to  memory, 
and  to  be  often  rehearsed  and  sung,  that  so  they  might  never 
forget  them.  Here  we  see  how  important  it  is,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  that  men  should  retain  the  knowledge  of  his  mighty 
acts,  and  remember  his  mercies  and  his  judgments.  He 


60  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

knew  their  liability  to  forget  even  the  most  remarkable  and 
solemn  scenes  and  events,  and  provided  a  help  against  this 
sinful  inlirmity,  by  having  such  facts  as  would  excite  the 
young  to  enquire  about  them,  and  keep  the  recollection  of 
them  ever  fresh  in  their  own  memory,  embodied  in  a  popular, 
familiar  song.  This  was  the  most  effectual  way  of  diffusing 
the  knowledge,  and  preserving  the  memory  of  remarkable  and 
solemn  events  which  could  be  before  the  art  of  printing  was 
discovered,  and  consequently  when  books  would  be  scarce. 

This  is  the  only  way  in  which  unlettered  nations  can,  or 
do  preserve,  any  fragments  of  their  history ;  even  by  embody- 
ing them  in  their  songs,  and  thus  handing  them  down  from 
generation  to  generation.  God  not  only  took  care  thus  to 
preserve  the  history  of  his  church  and  his  dealings  with  his 
people  and  their  enemies,  but  also  in  the  very  same  way  incul- 
cated the  duty  of  charging  the  memory  with  these  truths,  and 
meditating  on  them  much.  Hence,  whenever  they  repeated  this 
song,  they  would  of  course  repeat  the  command  to  "  Remem- 
ber the  days  of  old,  and  consider  the  years  of  many  genera- 
tions.'' They  are  cautioned,  that  it  is  not  enough  for  them  to 
admit  the  facts  related  by  their  fathers,  and  treasure  them  up 
in  their  memory,  but  it  is  requisite,  that  they  frequently  call 
them  up  and  cause  them  to  pass  before  their  minds,  and  make 
them  subjects  of  deep  thoughtfulness  and  meditation.  From 
the  words  following  the  text,  it  is  manifestly  a  duty  to  enquire 
after  and  seek  to  obtain  knowledge  of  what  God  has  wrought 
in  ancient  times  and  in  later  days.  It  is  added  to  the  text, 
•  Ask  thy  Father  and  he  will  shew  thec,  your  Elders  and  they 
will  tell  tliee."  it  is  a  solemn  and  important  duty  of  us  all, 
to  make  ourselves  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  days  of 
old,  a.s  far  as  we  can,  aud  that  we  frequently  revolve  in  our 
minds  the  events  of  past  generations.  This  was  certainly 
the  case  with  the  children  of  Israel,  and  we  should  remember 
that  God  addresses  us  in  the  same  language  that  he  did  them. 
"  Remember  the  days  of  old,  consider  the  years  of  many  gen- 
erations :"  and  ignorance  or  forgetfulness  in  us  of  the  most 


REV.    EBENEZER    HILL.  61 

wonderful  and  remarkable  events  of  very  ancient  or  of  more 
modern  times,  would  be  very  inexcusable.  For  we  have  the 
bible,  which  will  carry  back  the  mind  to  the  very  beginning 
of  time,  and  we  have  richly  the  means  of  obtaining  knowl- 
edge of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  history,  in  this  day  and  land 
of  books  and  general  education.  This  is  required  as  a  duty, 
not  only  in  the  text,  but  in  many  other  places,  in  plain  and 
positive  language ;  and  it  is  designed  and  calculated,  as  all 
other  duties  are,  to  promote  our  spiritual  and  moral  edifica- 
tion, and  comfort. 

In  further  pursuing  the  subject,  I  shall  call  your  attention, 

1st.  To  some  things  we  may  see  as  included  in  the  requi- 
sition, "Remember  the  days  of  old." 

2d.  To  some  of  the  advantages,  which  may  result  from 
the  due  remembrance  and  the  contemplation  of  the  daya  of 
old,  and  the  years  of  many  generations. 

I.  The  remembrance  of  the  days  of  old;  things  to  be 
remembered  and  studied.  Here  I  can  name  but  few,  and 
dwell  upon  none  of  them,  as  their  importance  requires.  The 
things  to  be  remembered  and  studied  I  name  as  included : 

1st.  The  whole  history  of  redemption,  from  the  first  inti- 
mation of  mercy  to  fallen  man,  down  to  the  full  completion  of 
the  great  work  of  redemption,  by  the  actual  sufferings  of 
the  divine  Redeemer,  and  ascension  of  the  Son  of  God. 

Whatever  other  events  may  be  correctly  related,  constantly 
remembered  and  carefully  studied,  if  this  be  not  in  some 
measure  remembered,  and  do  not  engage  our  solemn  con- 
sideration, we  shall  only  have  the  more  splendid  way  down 
to  eternal  death.  It  would  have  been  better  for  us,  never  to 
have  had  an  existence,  nor  to  have  known  what  great  things 
God  has  wrought  for  sinners,  than  for  us  to  disregard  the 
divine  command,  in  this  respect. 

2d.     Among  the  things  included  in  the  days  of  old,  and  to 

be  remembered,  we  may  see  as  included,  the  constant  and 

unchangeable  care  which  Christ  has  ever  taken  of  his  church, 

and  the  protection  he  has  afforded  to  individual  saints,  and 

9 


(jo  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

the  wonderful  deliverances  lie  has  effected  for  them,  in  sea- 
sons  of  the  greatest  perils  and  sufferings.  Often  has  the 
church  been  brought  low,  exceedingly  low,  and  the  enemies 
have  thought  that  they  had  prevailed,  but  the  Lord  has 
broutrht  deliverance,  and  given  the  triumph  to  his  distressed 
people.  And  we  should  remember  the  instances  of  his  faith- 
fulness with  individuals,  when  he  has  borne  with  them,  and 
carried  them  through  severest  trials ;  though  they  have  passed 
through  the  water,  it  has  not  overflowed  them,  and'  though 
they  have  passed  through  the  fire,  it  has  not  consumed  them. 

Wonderful  indeed  have  been  many  instances,  where  God 
has  wrought  for  his  saints,  when  all  other  hope  was  gone,  and 
these  are  recorded  that  we  may  remember  and  meditate  on 
them. 

3d.  Again,  the  many  instances  wherein  God  has  brought 
sore  judgments  upon  his  church  and  people,  and  individual 
saints,  for  their  sins,  are  to  be  remembered  by  us.  They  are 
recorded,  that  we  may  know  them  well,  and  be  admonished ; 
for  examples,  we  have  the  histories  of  David,  Hezekiah,  and 
others. 

4th.  Again,  the  tilings  to  be  remembered  of  old,  are  the 
remarkable  judgments  God  has  brought  upon  his  enemies,  and 
the  enemies  of  his  people ;  such,  for  instance,  as  upon  Egypt, 
Pharaoh  and  his  host,  and  upon  Babylon.  We  may  also, 
especially  on  this  day,  view  as  included  among  the  things  of 
old  to  be  studied,  the  events  of  divine  Providence  in  which 
we  are  directly  or  individually  concerned,  such  as : 

1st.  The  preparation  of  our  forefathers  to  leave  their 
native  land,  their  pleasant  dwellings  and  possessions,  in  order 
that  they  might  have  the  gospel  in  its  purity,  and  worship 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences,  and 
especially,  in  preparing  an  asylum  for  them  in  this  land,  so 
shortly  before  unknown  to  the  old  world.  Here  God  planted 
his  choice  vine,  and  caused  it  to  take  root  and  bear  fruit, 
once  glorious  fruit,  however  since  degenerated.  The  kind- 
ness of  the  Lord  to  our  forefathers,  the  deliverances  he 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  63 

Wrought  for  them,  when  foes  rose  up  against  them,  and  the 
blessings  he  bestowed  upon  all  their  labors,  until  a  little  one 
had  become  a  great  nation ;  these  are  all  of  them,  things  of 
old,  which  are  to  be  remembered,  and  which  ought  to  be 
studied,  until  our  hearts  are  filled  with  gratitude  and  praise. 

2d.  There  are  many  things  in  the  history  of  our  own  life, 
though  it  be  short,  and  in  the  events  which  have  led  on  to  the 
circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed  this  day.  .Our  child- 
hood and  youth,  our  manhood  and  age,  have  not  passed  away, 
without  many  dispensations  of  Providence,  which  call  for  our 
continued  remembrance,  with  deep  feelings  of  gratitude,  holy 
joy,  and  lively  praise.  The  history  of  this  town  and  of  this 
church,  with  all  the  train  of  events,  which  have  led  to  the 
circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed  this  day,  contains  many 
things,  which  call  for  our  lasting  remembrance,  and  solemn 
meditation.  In  them,  we  may  trace  the  leadings  of  divine 
Providence,  and  though  on  a  smaller  scale,  yet  more  remark- 
able, because  so  much  nearer  to  us. 

n.  I  proceed  to  invite  your  attention  to  some  of  the 
advantages  resulting  from  the  continued  remembrance,  and 
due  consideration  of  past  events.  And  it  is  believed  to  be 
capable  of  proof,  that  historical  facts,  especially  those  which 
are  contained  in  the  bible  and  the  late  history  of  the  church, 
teach  us  most  conclusive  lessons  of  wisdom,  and  the  most 
solemn,  remarkable,  alarming,  and  profitable  truths.  If  we 
remember  and  consider  well,  the  whole  history  of  redemp- 
tion, we  shall  learn  that  there  is,  and  can  be  but  one  possible 
way  of  escape  for  sinners,  from  the  just,  though  tremendous 
wrath  of  God.  The  dispensations  of  God  against  the  wicked, 
as  well  as  his  faithfulness  and  truth  to  those  who  fear 
his  name  and  believe  his  promises,  occur  on  every  page. 
The  first  hope  that  sinful  man  could  ever  indulge,  was 
grounded  on  the  promises  to  the  woman's  seed ;  the  display 
of  divine  anger  against  stubborn  sinners,  in  the  days  of  old, 
is  sufficient  to  make  those  fear,  who  are  not  in  the  way  in 
which  sinners  may  come  into  the  favor  of  God.  0 !  what 


i,  }  MEMOIR  OF   THE 

proofs  docs  the  history  of  the  world  give  of  the  prevalence 
of  sin,  and  of  its  hatefulncss  to  a  holy  God.  If  we  look 
through  the  days  of  old,  to  the  very  morning  of  time,  we  see 
death  reigning  over  all,  in  that  all  have  sinned,  for  the  wages 
of  sin  is  death.  In  every  view  we  take  of  the  days  of  old, 
we  see  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the  dreadful  consequences  of 
apostasy  from  God.  The  whole  history  of  redemption  con- 
tained in  the  bible,  when  it  is  seriously  contemplated,  goes  to 
teach  the  wicked  world,  that  vain  is  the  effort  to  prevail 
against,  and  overturn  the  church  of  God.  How  has  God 
swept  away  whole  and  mighty  nations,  when  they  have  risen 
up  against  his  little  flock !  How  solemn  a  call  is  this  on 
sinners,  to  accept  his  mercy !  We  may  learn  some  of  the 
special  benefits  of  remembering  the  days  of  old,  and  of 
acquaintance  with  ancient  times,  from  many  cases  related  in 
the  bible ;  and  the  special  benefit  to  be  obtained  thereby,  is 
to  be  seen.  Thus,  is  the  church  in  a  low,  depressed,  or 
oppressed  state ;  are  Christians  borne  down  with  troubles, 
discouraged,  and  ready  to  faint ;  let  them  remember  the  days 
of  old,  <kc.,  and  they  will  find  facts,  which  may  strengthen 
their  faith,  and  encourage  their  hope.  Thus  it  was  with  the 
Psalmist,  as  related  in  the  seventy-seventh  Psalm.  He  had  a 
season  of  darkness  and  sore  trial,  and  was  almost  ready  to 
despair  of  the  mercy  of  God;  but  when  he  remembered  the 
days  of  old,  the  years  of  ancient  times,  when  he  called  to 
mind  his  song  in  the  night,  and  on  his  having  made  diligent 
search,  he  was  led  to  ask,  will  the  Lord  cast  off  forever  ? 
Can  such  a  thing  be  ?  Will  he  be  favorable  no  more  ?  Is  his 
mercy  clean  gone  forever  ?  Do  his  promises  fail  ?  Hath  God 
forgotten  to  be  gracious  ?  Such  desponding,  unbelieving 
thoughts  had  troubled  him.  But  how  did  he  check  himself, 
and  recover  a  tranquil  state ;  yea,  a  state  of  holy  joy,  by 
calling  to  mind  what  God  had  done  of  old.  His  language  is, 
"I  said  this  in  my  infirmity,"  and  instead  of  yielding  to  such 
despondency,  he  said,  "I  will  remember  the  years  of  the  right 
hand  of  the  most  High,  I  will  remember  the  works  of  the 


REV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  65 

Lord,  I  will  remember  the  wonders  of  old ;"  and  we  find  him 
soon  speaking  the  language  of  praise.  This  is  the  benefit 
that  the  people  of  God  may  derive,  from  remembering  the 
days  of  old,  when  they  are  by  any  means  brought  low.  Here 
they  may  take  courage. 

Again,  when  Moses  would  keep  the  people  low  in  their  own 
minds,  and  grateful  to  God  for  all  his  wonders  of  mercy  and 
favor,  he  called  upon  them  to  "  remember  that  thou  wast  a 
servant  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  that  the  Lord  thy  God 
brought  thee  out  thence  through  a  mighty'hand  and  a  stretched 
out  arm."  If  we  would  call  to  mind  past  events,  and  even  go  no 
further  back  than  our  own  experience,  we  should  remember  our 
once  totally  ruined  state,  our  state  of  slavery  in  sin,  and  how 
we  owe  all  to  divine  mercy,  if  we  are  not  now  in  worse  than 
Egyptian  bondage.  If  any  thing  in  the  world  can  humble  us 
and  hide  pride  from  us,  this  would  do  it,  and  this  is  the 
great  good  received.  And  when  he  would  bring  them  to  deep 
repentance  and  continued  humility,  he  charged  them  "  remem- 
ber and  forget  not,  how  ye  provoked  the  Lord  your  God  to 
wrath  in  the  wilderness,  from  the  day  when  ye  departed 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  until  ye  came  into  this  place  ye 
have  been  rebellious  until  this  day."  And  when  he  would 
inspire  them  with  courage  to  face  their  enemies  and  attempt 
arduous  duties  to  which  they  thought  themselves  not  able,  he 
thus  called  upon  them,  "  Thou  shalt  remember  what  the  Lord 
did  unto  Pharaoh  and  unto  all  Egypt." 

Such  benefits  may  result  to  us  from  proper  meditation,  on 
the  years  of  many  generations  gone  by.  And  the  more  we 
acquaint  ourselves  with  the  history  of  this  nation  and  the 
Church  of  Christ  contained  in  it.  And  the  more  frequently 
we  call  to  mind,  and  the  more  closely  we  meditate  on  the 
dealings  of  God ;  the  more  we  shall  find  to  humble  us  and 
bring  us  to  repentance,  to  incite  in  us  gratitude  and  a  desire 
to  make  returns  for  unmerited  kindness.  And  to  these  mar- 
velous events  we  have  not  time  to  advert.  Many  circumstan- 
ces conspire  to  call  our  attention  to  know  what  to  some  would 


06  MEMOIR  OF  THE! 

be  tiling  of  many  generations,  things  transacted  long  before 
their  birth,  and  to  some  few,  although  they  are  things  in  which 
they  had  a  personal  share,  they  would  seem  of  ancient  times 
long  .-<ince  done.  But  entering  immediately  on  the  subject,  I 
will  eall  our  attention  to  a  few  inferences ;  I  shall  barely  name 
them  and  then  leave  them  for  our  own  reflections.  The  Old 
Testament,  much  despised  by  many,  would  be  of  exceeding 
value  for  the  edification  of  all,  and  for  the  strengthening  of 
their  faith ;  not  only  is  it  very  essential  to  their  salvation,  as 
well  as  the  New  Testament,  but  to  their  establishment  in  the 
hope  of  the  gospel.  Here  only  have  we  the  history  of  the 
dealings  of  God  with  man  and  with  his  church  for  about  four 
thousand  years. 

2d.     We  see  the  value  of  his  preached  word. 

3d.  Acquaintance  with  the  history  of  God's  dealing  with 
the  church  and  the  world,  with  the  history  of  former  times, 
is  of  importance,  as  affording  subjects  for  profitable  medita- 
tion, at  all  times,  to  the  exclusion  of  vain,  foolish  and  impure 
thoughts. 

This  day  is  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  this  town  and  church. 
This  day,  we  leave  this  house,  where  we,  and  our  fathers 
have  worshiped  for  many  years,  and  we  may  receive  it  as 
the  voice  of  God  to  us.  "Remember  the  days  of  old."  Let 
us  now  together  meditate  on  the  events  occurring  in  the  days 
of  our  fathers,  and  trace  them  down  to  the  present  day,  and 
we  shall  see  much  to  humble  us,  and  to  shew  us  the  many, 
and  wonderful  kindnesses  of  our  God.  I  begin  with  some  in 
the  civil  history  of  the  town,  such  as  I  have  been  able  to 
collect.  The  time  of  the  first  inhabitants  moving  into  this 
town,  wan  in  the  year  1752,  and  it  was  called  township  No. 
1  ;  and  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  town,  would  be,  if 
living,  more  than  eighty  years  of  age.  The  first  settlers  in 
the  town  were  many  of  them  poor,  and  the  settlement  did 
not  proceed  so  rapidly  as  in  some  other  towns,  nor  was  it 
until  the  year  1708,  that  an  incorporation  was  sought  and 
obtained.  In  that  year,  the  inhabitants  were  incorporated  'a 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  67 

body  politic,  and  the  place  named  Mason.  This  was  in 
August ;  and  in  November  following,  when  the  first  tax  was 
levied,  there  were  but  seventy-six  rated  polls  or  persons, 
liable  to  be  taxed.  The  original  proprietors  erected  a  meet- 
ing house,  just  by  where  this  stands,  for  the  inhabitants, 
before  the  town  was  incorporated;  that  is,  they  set  up  a 
frame,  covered  and  enclosed  it,  but  it  never  was  finished. 
There  it  stood  a  shell  until  1790.  And  in  that  your  fathers, 
and  some  now  living,  worshiped,  and  even  in  the  winter. 
In  that  house,  I  commenced  my  ministry  in  this  place.  Then, 
there  was  not  a  riding  carriage  in  the  town,  and  in  the  winter, 
whole  families  would  come  to  meeting  on  a  sled  drawn  by 
oxen,  and  the  ladies  were  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  their 
plain,  decent,  warm,  comfortable,  homemade  clothing.  Were 
those  times  more  unfavorable,  or  on  the  whole  more  uncom- 
fortable, than  the  present,  judge  ye. 

At  length  the  town  as  a  corporate  body,  agreed  to  build  a 
house  for  the  worship  of  God,  but  were  not  agreed  as  to  its 
location.  This  was  submitted  to  a  committee  of  disinter- 
ested persons,  and  they  unhappily  selected  this  spot.  I  say 
unhappily,  for  had  it  been  located  where  it  should  have  been, 
it  might  have  well  continued  many  years  longer  as  the  place  of 
our  solemnities,  and  with  small  expense  be  made  comfortable. 
When  our  fathers  entered  upon  the  work  of  building  this 
house,  it  was  with  many  discouragements  and  fears.  They 
felt  poor,  and  weak  handed  for  such  an  undertaking ;  but  God 
smiled  upon  them,  and  succored  them  far  beyond  their  fears. 
They  felt  it  to  be  a  heavy  burden,  but  they  undertook  it  with 
cheerfulness,  and  were  enabled  to  sustain  it.  And  forty  seven 
years  ago  this  present  month,  the  house  was  so  far  finished, 
that  the  ceremonies  of  my  ordination  were  performed  in  it, 
which  were  the  first  public  religious  exercises  in  this  house. 
It  was  soon  after  solemnly  dedicated  unto  Almighty  God,  as 
a  place  for  his  worship,  and  through  the  rich  goodness  and 
mercy  of  God,  very  few  sabbaths  have  passed  from  that  time 
to  the  present,  when  the  house  has  not  been  occupied  by  some 


68  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

as  a  place  of  worship.  And  since  that  time  the  Lord  has 
blessed  his  people,  agreeably 'to  his  promises  to  his  chosen 
people  of  old.  He  has  increased  their  number  and  increased 
their  wealth,  proving  that  none  arc  poorer  for  what  they 
spend  for  God.  In  the  year  1790,  when  this  house  was  built, 
there  were  but  about  one  hundred  and  ten  dwelling  houses  in 
the  town,  poor  and  good,  and  now  there  are  more  than  two 
hundred  and  ten,  and  our  eyes  are  permitted  to  behold  a  new 
house  completed,  to  be  dedicated  to  God  for  the  use  of  this 
church  and  the  congregation  worshiping  with  them.  Surely 
we  have  cause  this  day  to  set  up  our  Ebenezer,  and  say,  hith- 
erto hath  the  Lord  helped  us,  and  to  give  thanks  at  the 
remembrance  of  his  merciful  kindness,  when  we  remember 
the  days  of  old,  and  consider  and  think  upon  our  present 
state  as  a  society,  for  when  we  go  out  of  this  house  we  are 
not  left  houseless. 

I  will  now  add  something  relative  to  the  changes  that  have 
taken  place  in  the  town,  to  be  remembered  among  the  things 
of  the  days  of  old.  There  is  but  one  dwelling  house  and  two 
barns  now  standing  in  all  that  can  be  considered  as  contained 
in  this  centre  village,  which  were  standing  when  I  first  came  to 
this  town,  and  but  one  building  of  any  kind  in  all  the  west  vil- 
lage, and  there  had  never  then  been  a  resident  physician,  nor 
other  professional  man,  except  the  short  time  Mr.  Searle  was 
the  minister.  Supposing  five  persons  to  a  dwelling  house, 
there  would  not  at  that  time  have  been  more  than  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  inhabitants,  but  they  did  probably  some  exceed 
six  hundred.  We  have  enjoyed  at  least  a  comfortable  share 
of  health  with  other  places,  and  there  have  been  many  instan- 
ces (>['  longevity.  But  some  years  have  been  distinguished  by 
great  mortality.  In  the  years  1818  and  1819,  we  were  visit- 
ed with  that  dreadful  scourge  angina  maligna  or  throat  dis- 
tfmpcr,  and  it  swept  away  many  of  the  children.  In  the  year 
181  *  was  the  greatest  number  of  deaths  that  ever  were  in 
the  town  in  one  year ;  there  were  thirty  four ;  of  these  twenty 
two  were  children  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  of  these 


EEV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  69 

twelve  died  of  throat  distemper.  In  1819,  there  were  thirty 
one  deaths,  and  of  these  eighteen  were  under  fourteen  years 
of  age,  and  twelve  of  them  were  removed  by  the  same  malig- 
nant distemper. 

In  the  space  of  forty-seven  years,  there  have  been  removed 
from  this  place  to  the  narrow  house  prepared  for  all  the 
living,  somewhat  rising  eight  hundred.  What  a  large  congre- 
gation !  How  often  have  all  the  now  living,  been  warned  to 
prepare  for  death  and  the  judgment. 

But  it  is  time  to  call  to  mind  the  years  of  many  genera- 
tions, respecting  the  church  in  this  place.  Previous  to  my 
acquaintance  with  this  church,  it  had  been  in  a  state  of  per- 
plexity and  trouble,  for  most  of  the  time  of  its  existence  as 
a  church.  Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  town,  were 
some  professors,  but  no  church  was  constituted  until  1772, 
four  years  after  the  town  was  incorporated.  When  the 
church  was  embodied,  it  was  stated  to  be  a  Cahinistic  church, 
and  the  articles  of  faith  to  agree  essentially,  with  the  West- 
minster confession  of  faith.  At  this  time  Rev.  Jonathan 
Searle  was  ordained,  and  constituted  the  pastor  of  this 
church.  Shortly  after,  unhappy  difficulties  arose  between  the 
pastor  and  the  flock,  which  caused  his  dismissal,  nine  years 
after  his  settlement.  Soon  after,  or  from  the  time  of  this 
event,  he  ceased  to  preach.  He  was  appointed  a  civil  magis- 
trate, officiated  in  that  capacity,  and  remained  in  the  town  until 
his  death.  During  the  nine  years  of  his  ministry,  fourteen  were 
admitted  by  profession,  and  nine  by  letter,  and  eleven  owned 
the  covenant,  so  called,  according  to  the  practice  of  most  of  the 
churches  in  N.  England,  in  those  days.  After  that  period,  until 
the  time  of  my  ordination,  I  find  record  of  admission  of  one 
member  only.  There  was  a  long  time  of  deathlike  sleep  in 
the  church,  until  about  the  year  1785,  when  it  pleased  God 
to  pour  out  his  spirit,  and  cause  a  great  revival  of  religion 
in  his  people,  and  of  his  work  in  converting  sinners,  in  New 
Ipswich,  under  the  ministry  of  the  venerable  Mr.  Farrar, 
and  soon  it  extended,  in  some  measure,  to  this  and  other 
10 


70  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

town?.  This  part  of  the  vineyard,  although  in  a  very  deplor- 
able state,  was  not  wholly  passed  by ;  some  few  Christians 
•were  awakened,  and  brought  to  submit  themselves  to  their 
long  neglected  duly. 

Many  of  the  people  of  Mason,  especially  of  the  young, 
flocked  to  the  solemn  meetings  at  New  Ipswich,  and  were 
struck  with  wonder,  and  soon  some  were  convicted  of  sin, 
and  became  anxious  for  their  soul's  salvation,  and  shortly 
after  were  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  pardoning  mercy.  But 
such  was  the  state  of  the  church  in  Mason,  destitute  of  a 
minister,  broken,  dispirited,  that  the  new  converts  sought  to 
unite  with  the  church  in  New  Ipswich,  to  which  they  had 
become  greatly  attached,  by  their  acquaintance  with  the 
members,  which  the  situation  and  intercourse  had  brought 
about,  and  by  that  mutual  love,  which  new  born  souls  who 
have  mourned,  and  wept,  and  rejoiced  together,  feel.  Their 
request  was  granted,  on  condition  that  they  removed  their 
relation,  whenever  the  church  in  Mason  should  become 
settled.  One  happy  effect  of  this  revival,  was  a  determina- 
tion in  the  church  and  congregation,  to  seek  the  settlement  of 
a  gospel  minister;  and,  in  the  very  mysterious  providence  of 
God,  the  present  speaker  was  elected  to  this  office,  and  is 
continued  to  this  day. 

Just  before  my  ordination,  those  who  were  residing  in  town, 
members  of  other  churches,  and  these  members  of  the  New 
Ipswich  church,  removed  their  relation  to  this  church.  The 
church  consisted  of  thirty-six  members  when  I  settled  with 
them,  and  has  now  rising  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven,  in  this 
town,  in  regular  standing.  The  whole  number  added,  during 
my  ministry,  is  two  hundred  and  eighty-one;  of  these,  two 
hundred  and  sixty-one  by  profession.  A  small  number  indeed 
compared  to  the  number  of  inhabitants,  and  length  of  time, 
although  we  have  been  favored  with  some  precious  seasons 
of  refreshing,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  seasons  when 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  come  down  with  power,  and  wrought 
wonders,  making  the  word  of  God  powerful,  and  causing  joy 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  71 

and  gladness  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  over  penitent  sinners. 
It  will  be  doubtless  refreshing  to  some,  to  be  reminded  of 
those  years,  in  which  they  rejoiced  when  first  they  knew  the 
Lord,  or  rejoiced  when  salvation  came  to  their  house,  and 
their  dear  friends  became  dearer  to  their  hearts,  by  being 
united  to  the  family  of  God. 

The  years  1801  and  1802  were  indeed  years  of  the  right 
hand  of  God.  After  a  long  season  in  which  but  few,  and  at 
distant  intervals,  were  persuaded  to  embrace  the  Savior,  God 
was  pleased  to  grant  such  a  refreshing  season,  as  never  had 
before  been  experienced  in  this  place,  and  the  fruit  that  was 
gathered,  was  an  addition  of  fifty-four  members  by  profession. 
The  number  that  united  with  the  Baptist  church,  I  cannot  tell. 
It  seemed  then,  as  if  it  could  not  be,  that  there  should  be 
such  a  lowering  down  as  would  be  like  night  after  a  bright 
and  glorious  day.  But  oh  !  what  wonderful  changes  we  have 
witnessed,  which  should  humble  our  souls,  while  we  rejoice  in 
the  goodness  of  God,  that  after  his  spirit  has  been  grieved 
away,  and  his  people  gone  away  backward,  he  should  remem- 
ber them  in  mercy.  Again,  in  the  year  1812,  was  a  short 
season  of  the  special  display  of  the  mercy  of  God,  and  twen- 
ty-five were  added  to  the  church.  After  this,  only  now  and 
then  a  mercy  drop  was  found  to  fall,  until  the  year  1826, 
which  was  a  year  more  distinguished  than  any  other  in  the 
annals  of  this  church.  God  wrought  gloriously,  every  part 
of  the  town  was  visited,  and  so  manifest  was  the  work  of 
God,  that  for  a  time,  all  opposition  seemed  to  be  silenced, 
and  the  fruit  of  this  glorious  revival,  was  an  addition  to  this 
church,  of  sixty-two  members.  Oh !  that  we  may  soon  see 
such  another  day  of  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God.  As 
the  fruits  of  this  revival,  there  were  added  to  the  church  in 
1826  and  in  1827,  seventy-nine  members;  in  1831,  twenty- 
one,  and  in  1834  and  1835,  thirty-two.  Remember  the  days 
of  old,  consider  the  years  of  many  generations,  and  think 
what  changes  will  shortly  take  place  here. 

When  I  look  around  on  this  assembly,  I  can  see  but  one  of 


72  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

the  number  of  those,  who  from  this  town  joined  the  church 
in  New  Ipswich,  and  removed  their  relation  at  the  time  of 
my  settlement.  Then  they  were  young,  but  where  are  they  ? 
I  can  see  but  two  [Jonathan  Batchelder,  and  the  widow  Polly 
Dunstcr]  of  all  the  thirty-six,  which  composed  the  church  in 
that  solemn  hour,  when  I  was  constituted  their  pastor. 
Where  are  they  ?  Some  have  removed  to  other  churches,  and 
perhaps  remain  on  earth,  but  most  of  them  have  fallen  asleep. 
Oh !  how  near  at  hand,  should  this  view  bring  the  time  of 
our  own  departure;  how  excite  us  to  be  up  and  doing,  while 
it  is  day.  It  is  matter  of  rejoicing  certainly  to  me,  that 
when  we  leave  this  house,  we  have  a  place  of  worship  to 
which  we  may  repair,  and  that,  although  I  minister  no 
longer  in  this  house,  or  any  other,  I  do  not  leave  you  as 
sheep  without  a  shepherd. 

Where  will  be  the  present  inhabitants  of  this  town,  after 
the  revolution  of  such  another  period  as  we  have  contem- 
plated. Certainly,  with  many,  the  places  that  now  know 
them,  shall  know  them  no  more.  Some  few  may  remain  on 
earth,  monuments  of  God's  sparing  mercy  and  goodness.  It 
is  hoped,  that  many  will  be  shouting  the  praises  of  redeem- 
ing love  in  heaven ;  and  oh  !  distressing  thought !  it  is  feared 
that  some  will  be  wailing  their  folly  and  madness,  in  eternal 
despair.  What  changes  may  be  expected  to  take  place, 
in  half  a  century  to  come,  in  this  church  and  congregation, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  this  town.  The  farms  we  now  culti- 
vate with  so  much  care,  will  have  passed  into  other  hands. 
The  houses  we  now  inhabit,  will  not  be  inhabited  by  us  then. 
This  house,  which  has  been  consecrated  to  God,  for  his  ser- 
vice, and  the  place  where  he  has  displayed  his  mercy,  will 
then  be  mouldered  into  ruins. 

The  house  to  which  we  are  about  to  remove  will  become 
old,  and  the  religious  assembly  will  be  another  generation  j 
while  we  shall  probably  all  be  sleeping  in  dust.  Yes,  that 
communion  table  will  be  surrounded  with  other  members, 
unless  God  in  his  wrath  shall  remove  his  candlestick.  Not 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  73 

only  will  these  seats  be  vacated  by  this  assembly,  not  only  will 
the  present  communicants  cease  from  coming  to  this  table, 
not  only  will  these  walls  cease  to  resound  with  the  voice  of 
praise  from  the  lips  of  this  assembly,  but  the  house  in  which 
we  are  to  worship  after  this  day,  will  be  filled  with  other 
worshipers  than  those  who  may  have  the  privilege  to  unite 
with  us  in  the  first  religious  exercises  in  that  earthly  temple* 
In  thirty  years  another  generation  will  occupy  our  present 
places. 

It  is  right  that  as  we  leave  this  house,  we  should  leave  it 
under  the  impression  of  such  remarkable  truths.  I  cannot 
however,  say  farewell  to  this  house,  before  once  more  calling 
on  Christian  brethren  and  sisters,  to  remember  the  time  is 
short,  and  to  do  with  their  might  what  they  have  to  do ;  think 
not  your  work  is  done  because  you  leave  this  house  of  wor- 
ship. Keep  in  grateful  remembrance  the  works  of  God. 
Take  courage  from  his  precious  promises  and  his  dealings 
with  his  people,  in  the  years  that  are  gone,  be  instant  in 
season  and  out  of  season.  Cease  not  to  plead  with  God, 
for  the  outpouring  of  his  spirit  upon  this  church  and  congre- 
gation. Let  your  light  so  shine,  that  others  seeing  your  good 
works,  may  come  and  put  their  trust  in  that  God  and  Saviour 
you  love  and  adore.  Oh !  sinners,  this  is  the  last  message  to 
you  from  this  place,  you  can  have  but  little  time  left,  the 
door  of  mercy  is  now  open ;  0 !  fly  to  the  Saviour,  who 
stands  with  open  arms  to  receive  you,  while  it  is  yet  an 
accepted  time,  and  a  day  of  salvation. 

I  now  bid  farewell  in  my  own  name,  and  in  the  name  of 
this  church  and  congregation,  to  this  house  as  a  place  of  wor- 
ship, as.  the  place  of  our  solemn  assemblies. 

FAREWELL  TO  THIS  PULPIT  :  to  me  indeed,  for  many  years, 
the  dearest  spot  on  earth.  And  although  I  expect  not  to 
labor  any  more  in  this  pulpit,  if  I  do  in  any  other,  I  never 
shall  think  of  this  place,  and  remember  the  days  of  old, 
without  such  associations  as  will  be  calculated  to  move  the 
feelings  of  humility  and  gratitude. 


74 


MEMOIR   OF  THE 


FAREWELL  TO  THIS  HOUSE,  which  has  been  the  place,  in 
which  we  have  witnessed  many  painful  and  joyous  scenes. 

() !  may  these  Avails,  once  consecrated  to  God,  never  be 
desecrated  or  polluted,  by  being  made  the  place  where  infidelity 
or  error  shall  be  disseminated ;  or  the  spirit  of  party,  manage 
to  subvert  the  freedom  of  this  favored  land. 


OLD  MEETING  HOUSE,    FIRST  OCCUPIED  NOVEMBER  S,  1790, 


SEW  MEETING  HOUSE.     FIRST  OCCUPIED  NOVEMBER,  1837, 


REV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  75 


A  FUNERAL  SERMON, 

DELIVERED  AT  MASON,  N.  H.,  ON  LORD'S  DAY, 


CAPTAIN     HIRAM     SMITH, 

Who  Deceased  December  6, 1826,  Aged  25  Years, 

BY    REV.    EBENEZER    HILL. 


JOB   XXI.   23,  24,  25,   26. 

One  dieth  in  his  ful>  strength,  being  -wholly  at  ease  and  quiet.  His  breasts 
are  full  of  milk,  and  his  bones  are  moistened  with  marrow.  And  another 
dieth  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  and  never  eateth  with  pleasure.  They 
shall  lie  down  alike  in  the  dust,  and  the  worms  shall  cover  them. 

ONE  interesting  point  of  instruction  conveyed  in  these 
words  of  the  aged,  experienced,  and  afflicted  Job,  is  mani- 
festly this.  The  grave  may  be  very  near  to  the  most  pros- 
perous, and  healthy,  and  strong,  as  well  as  to  those  who 
endure  the  greatest  afflictions,  and  most  severe  sufferings.  I 
shall  endeavor,  briefly,  to  establish  this  truth,  in  order  to 
exhibit  some  of  the  important  instructions  which  the  great 
uncertainty  of  life  seems  forcibly  to  convey  to  us  all ;  and  to 
prepare  the  way  for  such  application  and  addresses  as  the 
solemn  scene  which  so  lately  passed  before  our  eyes,  together 
with  others  of  no  long  date,  seem  to  require. 

Job  was  a  man  of  very  eminent  piety.  It  appears  from 
divine  testimony,  that  he  exceeded  all  the  men  on  earth  in 
his  day,  in  devotedness  to  God,  and  in  labor  after  inward 


76  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

purity,  and  practical  holiness.  "Hast  thou  considered  my 
servant  Job,  that  there  is  none  like  him  in  the  earth,  a  perfect 
and  an  upright  man,  one  that  fearcth  God,  and  escheweth 
evil  ?"  Job  was  a  wise  man ;  a  man  of  good  understanding ; 
a  man  of  much  and  careful  observation.  It  is  evident  he 
was  well  acquainted  with  the  history  of  preceding  ages,  so 
far  as  this  was  handed  down  by  tradition ;  and  he  had  atten- 
tively observed  the  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence  in  his 
own  day.  The  remark  in  the  text  was  the  result  of  his 
own  observation,  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  the  fathers, 
who  had  lived  long  before  him.  And  the  same  truth  has  been 
gaining  Additional  evidence  in  every  age  of  the  world  since, 
down  to  the  present  day.  "  One  dieth  in  his  full  strength, 
being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet.  His  breasts  are  full  of  milk 
and  his  bones  are  moistened  with  marrow.  And  another 
dieth  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  and  never  eateth  with 
pleasure.  They  shall  lie  down  in  the  dust,  and  the  worms 
shall  cover  them." 

This  truth  also  comes  to  us  with  authority;  being  written 
by  the  pen  of  inspiration,  preserved  by  the  providence  of 
God,  and  making  a  part  of  the  holy  scriptures.  0  let  us  feel 
our  personal  interest  in  this  solemn  truth !  As  we  know  that 
it  is  appointed  to  all  men  once  to  die ;  as  we  know  that  we 
are  of  the  dust,  and  must  return  to  dust  again ;  so  we  are 
taught  in  the  text,  that  we  are  not  sure  of  any  long  previous 
warning  of  the  time  of  our  dissolution.  No  circumstances  in 
life  can  give  any  security  that  death  is  not  at  the  door. 

If  to  be  full  of  strength,  and  free  from  any  disease,  the 
blood  and  spirits  flowing  with  life  and  vigor,  can  give  no  secu- 
rity for  the  continuance  of  life ;  then  surely  no  attachments 
to  life,  no  worldly  circumstances,  no  pleasing  prospects,  no 
connections  formed,  no  engagements  made,  can  give  the  least 
assurance  that  the  grave  is  not  just  before  us.  How  often  do 
we  see  this  melancholy  truth  demonstrated !  We  do  not  need 
to  repair  to  the  chronicles  of  ancient  times  for  evidence  that 
the  young,  even  children,  and  the  sprightly  youths  of  fairest 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  77 

promise,  may  suddenly  drop  into  an  untimely  grave.  Neither 
need  we  go  far  for  proof  that  the  young,  the  strong  and  vig- 
orous— their  parents'  hope,  their  parents'  joy,  while  in  the  full 
enjoyment  of  health, — their  warm  and  lively  imaginations 
painting  bright  prospects  before  them,  which  seem  to  them 
certain;  perhaps  forming  connections,  which  they  fondly 
believe  will  be  lasting,  and  on  which  they  ground  the  warmest 
expectations  of  happiness — -we  need  not,  I  say,  go  far  for 
proof,  that  such  may,  in  an  unexpected  hour,  fall  into  the  cold 
embrace  of  death. 

Parents,  while  they  feel  not,  or  scarcely  begin  to  feel  any 
of  the  decays  of  nature ;  while  their  nerves  are  strong,  and 
their  bodily  organs  are  able  to  perform  their  functions  with 
ease,  and  they  behold  with  joy,  their  children  like  olive  plants 
around  their  tables,  or  settling  in  the  world  with  hopeful 
prospects — no  sickness,  no  apparent  messenger  of  death 
alarms  them — they  may  drop  and  die  in  the  fulness  of  their 
strength ;  or  their  children  may  fall  before  their  eyes.  In 
either  case,  how  unlocked  for,  how  surprising  the  change ! 
Circumstances  in  life  give  no  more  security  against  death, 
than  health.  Death  spares  the  rich  no  more  than  the  poor. 
Engagements,  of  whatever  kind,  are  unavailing  to  protect 
against  death.  We  may  have  much  upon  our  hands  to  do, 
much  unfinished  business,  according  to  our  promises  to  others, 
or  plans  which  we  have  laid  out  for  ourselves ;  but  as  our 
full  strength  will  not  be  able  to  withstand,  so  our  engage- 
ments and  promises  will  not  move  death  to  delay  his  stroke, 
when  commissioned  to  strike.  And  oftentimes  there  is  little 
or  no  warning  given,  by  any  previous  indisposition,  before  the 
strong  man  is  made  to  bow.  One  dieth  in  his  full  strength, 
being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet,  as  well  as  another  at  whose 
door  death  had  seemed  to  knock,  by  long  continued,  or  fre- 
quent sicknesses. 

Death,  in  unnumbered  forms,  stalks  in  every  path  we  tread. 
The  grave  is  ever  before  us,  and  we  are  constantly  approach- 
ing it ;  and  no  one  can  say  that  the  next  step  is  not  into  it, 
11 


78  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

As  David  said  of  himself,  so  it  may  be  with  us,  "There  is  but 
a  stop  between  me  and  death."  The  prophet  was  directed 
to  cry,  »A11  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  goodness  thereof  as  the 
flower  of  the  field.  The  grass  withereth  and  the  flower 
fadcth;  because  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  bloweth  upon  it. 
Surely  the  people  is  grass."  Job  also,  guided  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  hath  said,  "Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few 
days,  and  full  of  trouble.  He  comcth  forth  as  a  flower,  and 
is  cut  down ;  he  fleeth  also  as  a  shadow,  and  continueth  not." 
Surely  then  no  one  may  consistently  boast  himself  of 
to-morrow.  However  firm  his  health  now  is,  he  may  then  be 
in  his  grave. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  labor  to  prove  a  truth  so  evident 
in  frequent  occurrences.  I  have  barely  reminded  you,  my 
fellow-mortals,  of  what  we  all  admit,  I  trust,  and  what  every 
one  must  admit,  who  receives  testimony  of  God,  or  only  casts 
his  eye  over  a  little  space  around  him ;  and  I  have  done  it  for 
this  purpose,  that  our  minds  might  be  prepared  to  receive  the 
instruction  which  such  facts  press  upon  all  the  living. 

You  will  suffer  me  to  state,  and,  I  beseech  all  duly  to 
weigh,  some  consequences  which  must  follow  from  the  forego- 
ing acknowledged  facts.  And, 

1.  If  then  in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death;  if,  in  the 
fullness  of  our  strength,  and  in  our  brightest  worldly  pros- 
pects, we  are  liable  every  moment  to  be  cut  down  by  death, 
and  in  the  grave  to  be  hidden  from  the  world  and  all  it  con- 
tains ;  to  have  all  our  connections  dissolved,  and  to  leave  all 
our  earthly  enjoyments  behind  us  forever;  then,  certainly, 
they  are  miserably  poor  who  have  no  better  interest  than 
what  this  world  affords ;  nor  enjoyments  superior  to  all  those 
of  time  and  sense.  Though  they  be  now  free  from  suffering 
pain,  in  full  health  and  strength;  though  placed  in  the  most 
easy  and  flattering  circumstances,  and  having  the  brightest 
earthly  prospects  before  them,  they  are  poor  indeed !  We 
may  feel  ourselves  to-day  to  be  full  and  happy  in  our  wealth 
and  friends ;  but  if  these  be  all  we  have,  in  one  short  hour 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  79 

we  may  have  nothing.  Is  not  vanity  inscribed  on  all  this 
world,  when  immortal  beings  seek  their  happiness  in  it ;  and 
neither  the  most  vigorous  health,  nor  the  greatest  abundance, 
nor. the  most  endeared  connections  and  friends,  can  save  us  a 
moment  from  death ;  and  as  soon  as  death  passes  upon  us  we 
must  leave  the  world  as  naked  as  we  came  into  it !  0,  if  we 
have  not  a  better  inheritance,  richer  enjoyments,  and  more 
glorious  prospects  than  all  this  world  can  afford,  we  are  in  an 
unenviable,  in  a  most  pitiable  state. 

2.  A  correct  view  of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  the  certainty 
of  death,  and  the  change  produced  by  (death,  shews  the  ines- 
timable value  of  Religion. 

It  is  only  religion,  personal  religion,  which  consists  in  con- 
formity of  heart  to  the  character  and  government  of  God,  and 
the  gospel  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ,  that  can  reconcile  the 
mind  to  leave  the  world,  support  it  in  the  near  view  of  death, 
and  render  the  soul  happy  after  death.  0  then,  of  what 
incalculable  worth  is  religion ;  since  we  all  must  die,  leave 
kindred  and  friends,  and  possessions  behind  us,  and  launch 
into  the  eternal  world.  Nothing  but  that  glorious  hope 
which  springs  from  feeling  reconciliation  to  God,  trust  in 
Christ's  atoning  blood  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  belief  in 
the  promise  of  his  favor  forever,  can  enable  us  to  view  the 
world  receding,  and  the  constant,  near  and  certain  approach 
of  death,  without  dismay.  And  it  is  only  evidence  that  they 
possessed  this  religion,  which  can  give  us  consoling  hopes, 
and  comfort  our  hearts,  concerning  those  who  were  dear  to 
us,  but  are  hidden  from  our  eyes  in  the  cold  grave.  It  is  this 
religion  only  which  fits  the  soul  for  heaven.  Who  then  can 
conceive,  much  less  express  the  danger  of  every  soul,  desti- 
tute of  religion,  and  thus  unprepared  to  die.  For  no  one 
knows  the  day  of  his  death ;  and  there  is  no  change  of  moral 
character  after  death.  There  is  no  work,  nor  devise,  nor 
knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave ;  yet  the  soul  must  exist 
forever,  and  in  a  state  to  be  decided  according  to  the  charac- 
ter formed,  and  the  deeds  done  in  the  body :  Who  then  can 


80  MEMOIR  OP  THE 

rest  without  evidence  of  a  heart  by  grace  subdued  to  the  will 
and  service  of  God  ?  without  evidence  of  vital  union  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  Savior  of  sinners  ?  Surely  to 
know  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified ;  to  know  him  as  the 
Savior  in  whom  we  trust,  whom  we  love,  and  whom  we  serve, 
must  be  that  wisdom  which  is  thus  described  by  the  king  of 
Israel,  "Wisdom  is  more  precious  than  rubies;  her  merchan- 
dise is  better  than  the  merchandise  of  silver ;  and  the  gain 
thereof  than  fine  gold.  She  is  a  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay 
hold  on  her;  and  happy  is  every  one  that  retaineth her."  0, 
who  can  dare,  in  this  dying  world,  to  believe  his  own  immor- 
tality, and  not  seek  this  treasure  ! 

3.  The  view  which  has  been  presented,  of  the  close  con- 
nection between  us  and  death,  between  every  thing  here  and 
the  grave,  should  teach  us  to  live  habitually  as  strangers  and 
travelers  in  this  dying  world,  and  not  to  set  our  affections 
on  things  below.  Surely  our  hearts  ought  to  sit  very  loose 
to  all  things  we  hold  by  such  an  uncertain  tenure  as  life. 
And  to  make  anything  which  is  purely  of  this  world,  our  con- 
fidence, our  hope,  our  idol,  is  not  only  exceedingly  criminal  but 
exceedingly  absurd.  Why  should  we  cleave  so  fast  to  that 
which  we  may  so  soon  be  called  to  leave  forever  ?  0  if  the 
case  be  with  us  as  has  been  represented,  how  careful  should 
we  be  not  to  suffer  any  inferior  attachment  to  hinder  us  in 
seeking  the  present  enjoyment  of  God,  and  laboring  to  secure 
an  heirship  to  the  glories  of  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

In  attempting  an  application  of  the  subject  to  the  assem- 
bly at  large,  the  few  aged  people  present  will  permit  me  to 
offer  a  word  directly  to  them  in  the  first  place. 

Is  it  true,  my  aged  friends,  that  some  die  in  youth,  yea,  die 
in  their  full  strength,  being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet  ?  Have 
you  walked  HO  many  years  on  earth,  that  but  few  of  all  your 
youthful  acquaintances  are  left  ?  then,  while  you  well  may 
wonder  that  you  are  alive  this  day,  you  may  know  that  the 
time  of  your  departure  is  at  hand.  Although  you  have  been 
wonderfully  spared,  you  have  not  obtained  a  discharge  from 


REV.  EBENEZER  HILL.  81 

the  warfare.  You  must  meet  the  king  of  terrors.  Are  you 
prepared  now  to  meet  death  ?  Are  you  prepared  to  stand  in 
the  presence  of  the  holy  God?  If  any  of  you  have  lived 
to  this  day  witHbut  returning  to  God  by  unfeigned  repent- 
ance, and  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  not  only  death,  but  ever- 
lasting destruction  is  before  you.  The  sparing  mercy  of  God, 
if  you  have  rejected,  and  continue  to  reject  his  grace,  offered 
in  the  gospel,  will  only  aggravate  your  condemnation.  0  then, 
while  a  few  more  sands  may  run,  and  you  are  continued  pris- 
oners of  hope,  turn  to  the  strong  hold.  If  any  of  you,  aged 
friends,  have  a  comforting  evidence  that  you  are  prepared, 
through  grace,  for  a  peaceful  death,  see  that  ye  be  as  servants 
who  watch  and  wait  for  the  coming  of  their  Lord  at  an 
unknown  hour. 

From  the  aged,  I  turn  to  call  upon  the  middle  aged,  and. 
young  people.  I  ask  you,  dear  friends,  to  consider,  in  view 
of  the  subject,  and  the  occasion  of  it,  and  let  your  own 
understanding  answer  the  following  questions.  Is  it  possible 
that  you  can  have  any  business,  or  concerns  of  so  much  imme- 
diate importance  as  the  immediate  care  of  your  souls  ?  Is 
there  any  thing  you  cannot  neglect  with  more  propriety,  and 
less  hazard  than  preparation  for  death  ?  Can  you  believe  that 
you  may  die  in  the  fulness  of  your  strength,  and  yet  dare  to 
live  to  another  day  without  seeking  God !  Can  any  of  you 
dare,  not  to  attempt  now  to  do  what  you  must  wish  you  had 
done,  but  it  may  be  too  late  to  do,  when  you  feel  the  cold 
hand  of  death? 

But  it  is  expected  that  some  particular  address  will  be 
made  to  the  mourners ;  made  mourners  indeed,  by  the  affect- 
ing instance  of  mortality  which  has  been  publicly  mentioned 
this  day ;  and  for  whom,  I  trust,  many  have  earnestly  prayed, 
that  they  may  be  sanctified,  and  supported,  and  comforted, 
under  their  heavy  trial. 

To  the  dear  friend  of  the  deceased  we  first  look,  and  with 
no  ordinary  feelings  of  sympathetic  grief*  How  has  this 
truth,  thus  painfully  realized,  "  one  dieth  in  his  full  strength," 


82  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

struck  a  death  blow  to  your  pleasing  earthly  prospects ;  per- 
haps fond  dreams  of  years  to  enjoy  the  society  of  a  beloved 
friend ;  and  that  ye  might  go  down  the  vale  of  years  together. 
Perhaps  you  were  anticipating  much  worldly  comfort  and  res- 
pect, by  your  mutual  efforts,  and  mutual  kindness.  Perhaps 
hoping  that  you  might  be  helpers  of  each  other's  joy  in  a 
wearisome  journey  to  a  brighter  world.  Death  has  stepped 
in,  and  the  bright  visions  have  disappeared.  Your  friend  is 
gone  !  But  while  the  scene  through  which  you  have  passed, 
is  heart  affecting,  and  long  must  be,  it  is  instructing;  for  it  is 
the  voice  of  God.  He  does  not  forbid  you  to  mourn;  and  no 
one  may ;  but  He  calls  you  to  take  up  the  cross,  to  humble 
yourself  under  his  mighty  hand,  to  bear  the  yoke  of  trouble 
in  your  youth ;  and  you  have  the  prayers  of  many  that  you 
may  find  it  good  for  you. 

I  say,  the  scene  through  which  you  have  passed,  is  instruct- 
ing. You  cannot  easily  be  taught,  and  more  impressively, 
the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  the  importance  of  being  prepared 
for  death,  at  an  unwarned  hour.  You  cannot  have  set  before 
you,  more  feelingly,  the  uncertainty  of  all  earthly  prospects. 
But  are  you  comfortless  ?  0  there  is  a  source  of  consolation 
always  open  for  the  afflicted.  God  reigns.  The  heavenly 
Father  reigns.  He  who  afflicts  calls  the  afflicted  to  seek  him 
early  in  their  afflictions.  We  hope  you  know  the  way  to  the 
mercy-seat  through  a  crucified  Savior.  Draw  near  in  humble 
boldness  in  his  name,  and  he  who  has  laid  this  burthen  on  you 
will  support  you.  0  let  the  loss  of  an  earthly  friend  render 
tho  Friend  of  sinners  more  precious  to  your  heart.  Let  the 
disappointments  in  human  calculations  raise  your  heart  above 
the  world,  and  lead  you  to  seek  divine  consolations,  and  press 
forward  towards  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling, 
and  you  will  find  lasting  benefit  from  the  scenes,  which  for 
the  present  arc  so  grievous.  If  Christ  be  indeed  the  friend 
of  your  heart,  he  will  never  leave  nor  forsake  you.  And  you 
may  look  forward  to  a  sudden  death  and  an  early  grave  with 
composure  j  or  quietly  wait  all  the  days  of  your  appointed 


EEV.   EBENEZEE   HILL.  83 

time,  till  your  change  shall  come,  even  though  you  continually 
bear  a  cross. 

To  the  bereaved  parents  all  our  eyes  turn,  and  our  hearts 
move  with  tenderness. 

God  has  been  very  gracious  to  you,  in  bestowing  an  uncom- 
mon share  of  health  in  your  family.  Your  children  have  all 
been  spared  to  grow  up  to  manhood ;  and  the  voice  of  health 
has  been  heard  almost  constantly  in  your  habitation.  Now 
grievous  sickness  and  death  have  entered  your  home.  The 
breach  is  made.  A  beloved  son  is  taken  away  in  the  fulness 
of  his  strength;  and  while  your  hopes  and  fond  expectations 
were  rising,  and  his  prospects  brightening.  How  suddenly, 
how  unlocked  for,  has  your  trouble  come !  But  you  will 
remember,  mourning  friends,  "  Affliction  cometh  not  forth  of 
the  dust,  neither  doth  trouble  spring  out  of  the  ground."  You 
will  eye  the  hand  of  God,  which  has  touched  you  in  this  event ; 
and  0  listen  to  his  voice.  It  is,  Prepare  suddenly  to  exchange 
time  for  eternity.  You  see  a  breach  made  in  your  family, 
which  is  a  sure  presage  that  all  the  rest  must  go,  and  that 
you  must  follow,  or  precede  them.  You  see  that  you  are  not 
sure  of  wearing  out  with  old  age,  or  that  you  shall  have  long 
warning  of  the  approach  of  death.  Healthy,  promising, 
children  are  apt  to  be  their  parents'  hope  in  their  declining 
years :  but  you  are  now  feelingly  admonished  not  to  lean  on 
such  props.  0  let  the  Lord  be  your  confidence,  and  then, 
though  all  earthly  props  sink  under  you,  you  will  be  sup- 
ported and  comforted ;  for  in  every  affliction  you  may  repair 
to  him,  and  he  will  be  found  a  present  help.  Your  age 
admonishes  you  that  your  time  must  be  short;  but  what 
scenes  of  trouble,  what  sore  disappointments  are  first  to  be 
endured,  you  do  not,  and  cannot  know.  You  are  to  look  for 
troubles  in  this  world.  May  you  be  favored  with  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  make  a  wise  improvement  of 
this  affliction,  and  be  prepared  for  what  is  to  come.  We 
wish  you  divine  consolation.  God  has  inflicted  the  wound, 
and  He  alone  can  heal.  You  may  lose  the  sensible  and  pun- 


84  MEMOIR   OP    THE 

gent  feeling  of  your  trouble ;  time  will  render  the  remem- 
brance less  painful ;  but  it  is  only  God  who  can  heal  the 
wound,  and  repair  the  breach. 

What  can  I  now  say  to  the  brethren  and  sisters  of  the 
deceased  ?  what  need  I  say  ?  The  voice  of  God  speaks  to 
you  loudly,  and  most  intelligibly.  A  beloved  brother  has 
fallen  in  the  prime  of  life,  in  the  fulness  of  his  strength. 
Your  health,  your  strength,  your  prime  of  life,  can  no  more 
secure  you  against  the  arrest  of  death.  Dear  friends,  be 
entreated  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  Providence,  which  calls 
you  to  attend  to  the  concerns  of  your  souls,  without  delay. 
And,  0,  listen  to  the  dying  request  of  your  brother.  Did 
you  witness  his  anxiety  for  his  own  soul,  and  for  your  souls  ? 
Did  you  hear  his  warning,  supplicating  voice,  while  his  reason 
lasted,  urging  you  to  seek  religion ;  to  become  reconciled  to 
God  without  delay  ?  Did  you  hear  him  reprobate  the  senti- 
ment he  had  labored  to  believe,  and  warn  you  against  it? 
Did  you  hear  him  declare  his  full  conviction  of  his  own  just 
condemnation  as  a  sinner ;  and  that  the  only  hope  of  escap- 
ing everlasting  death  was  through  the  atoning  blood  of 
Christ,  even  by  faith  in  him  ?  0,  then,  rely  upon  it,  the  time 
will  come  when  the  favor  of  God,  peace  in  the  soul,  and  hope 
like  an  anchor,  sure  and  steadfast,  will  be  found,  by  you, 
to  be  of  more  value  than  the  whole  world,  and  all  the  fulness 
thereof.  When  shall  this  be  sought  ?  You  may  die  suddenly, 
in  the  fulness  of  your  strength.  You  may  be  deprived  of 
reason  before  the  close  of  life ;  and  then  nothing  can  be  done 
to  prepare  for  death.  It  is  certain  you  must  die,  the  time  is 
unknown ;  and  when  death  has  his  commission  to  strike,  he  is 
inexorable.  0  then  let  not  the  plea  be  made  in  vain,  acquaint 
now  yourselves  with  GOD,  and  be  at  peace  with  him,  that  good 
may  corne  to  your  souls. 

On  this  solemn  occasion  the  officers  and  soldiers  composing 
the  Militia  Company  of  which  the  late  HIRAM  SMITH  was  Cap- 
tain, have  a  right  to  be  particularly  noticed  in  this  address ; 
for  they  are  specially  afflicted  in  this  mournful  event  of 


REV.    EBENEZER   HILL.  85 

Divine  Providence ;  for  they  are,  indeed,  mourners,  as  their 
appearance  at  his  funeral,  and  on  this  holy  day,  clearly  mani- 
fests. 

How  affecting,  how  alarming  have  been  the  calls  of  Provi- 
dence to  this  Company !  In  the  short  space  of  one  year  and 
a  half,  two  Captains,  young  and  active,  have  been  cut  down, 
not  by  the  sword  of  battle,  but  by  that  foe  with  whom  each 
one,  officer  and  soldier,  must  contend  in  single  combat,  and 
before  whom  each  one  must  fall. 

You,  respected  officers  and  soldiers,  notwithstanding  the 
military  parade  you  make,  live  in  a  time  of  profound  peace 
in  your  country.  There  are  no  apparent  indications  that  you 
may  soon  be  called  to  active  service.  Why  then  all  this  mili- 
tary parade  ?  Why  all  these  pains  to  learn  the  discipline 
and  art  of  war  ?  O,  methinks  I  hear  you  say,  "  It  is  the  dic- 
tate of  wisdom,  in  peace  to  prepare  for  war.  It  is  uncertain 
how  soon  we  may  be  called  to  defend  by  force  and  arms,  our 
dearest  rights,  and  jeopardize  our  lives  in  the  high  field  of 
battle ;  and  what  then,  if  found  unacquainted  with  the  art  of 
war,  wholly  unprepared,  undisciplined,  unarmed  ?  "  Forcible 
reasoning !  0  let  it  apply  with  all  its  aptness,  with  all  its 
force,  in  another  case.  Here  I  may  address  you  as  fellow 
soldiers,  although  I  am  unacquainted  with  all  your  military 
manoeuvres.  Before  us  is  a  war  in  which  there  is  no  dis- 
charge ;  no  engagements,  nor  attachments,  nor  fears,  can  be 
an  excuse.  Here,  is  it  not  equally  the  dictate  of  wisdom,  In 
peace  prepare  for  war  ?  that  we  should  arm  ourselves  with 
that  armor  which  will  not  fail  in  the  day  of  battle ;  acquaint 
ourselves  with  the  holy  discipline,  and  become  expert  in  the 
use  of  those  arms  ?  When  called  to  combat  with  the  com- 
mon enemy,  death,  and  all  the  innumerable  foes  of  our  souls' 
salvation,  it  is  only  when  clad  in  the  whole  armor  of  God, 
the  shield  of  faith,  the  helmet  of  salvation,  the  sword  of 
the  spirit,  and  the  breast-plate  of  righteousness,  that  we 
can  come  off  conquerors  and  more  than  conquerors.  Thus 
armed  and  disciplined,  we  shall  be  crowned  with  victory, 
12 


86  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

although  the  enemy  shall  seem  to  triumph.  You  now,  fellow 
men,  appear  as  soldiers.  But  are  you  soldiers  of  the  cross  ? 
are  you  marching  in  the  ranks  of  the  great  Captain  of  salva- 
tion, and  obeying  his  orders  ?  Then  may  you  proceed  boldly. 
But  whatever  leader  you  may  follow,  when  you  fall  as  you 
must,  you  fall  to  rise  no  more. 

Hence,  whenever  you  meet  on  military  occasions,  your  very 
manoeuvres  are  calculated  to  remind  you  of  interesting  truths, 
and  to  convey  to  you  important  instruction.  And  it  seems 
strange  that  in  a  Christian  land,  military  meetings  are  not 
generally  solemn  meetings.  Every  word  of  command  given, 
every  manoeuvre  performed,  every  step  marched  to  the  music 
should  remind  you  of  the  necessity  of  preparation  for  the  great 
conflict,  and  of  the  danger  of  being  untrained  to  the  holy 
war.  Can  this  Company  meet  again  and  trifle  with  the  art  of 
war  ?  Can  a  training  be  a  season  of  rude  merriment  after 
this  ?  Can  the  soldiers,  who  see  their  officers  fall  before 
them,  feel  safe,  until  they  have  enlisted  under  the  great  Cap- 
tain of  salvation,  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  forever  ?  This  day 
you  see,  you  have  painful  evidence,  that  the  art  of  war  cannot 
defend  from  death.  No  more  can  any  other  arts  or  devices. 
Your  Captain  was  esteemed  a  good  officer ;  but  he  has  fallen. 
Death  did  not  respect  him:  no  more  will  he  respect  you. 
Soldiers  may  inconsiderately  brave  death  in  the  field  of  bat- 
tle ;  but  it  \A  only  the  Christian  soldier  who  has  true  courage 
in  the  hour  of  danger,  and  can  contemplate  the  constant 
approach  of  death  without  dismay.  It  is  not  courage,  it  is 
dreadful  hardiness  to  jeopardize  life  fearlessly  without  the 
prevailing  hope  of  a  happy  eternity. 

Soldiers,  you  acknowledge  Captain  SMITH  was  a  good 
officer.  But  you  may  rely  upon  it,  for  I  had  it  from  his  own 
lips,  he  felt  the  worth  of  his  immortal  soul;  he  acknowledged 
himself  justly  condemned  as  a  sinner;  with  lively  emotions 
he  mourned  his  past  neglects ;  and  he  was  anxious  for  the 
salvation  that  is  in  Christ.  Now  will  you  not  be  anxious  for 
salvation  ?  can  concern  for  the  soul  be  unbecoming  a  soldier  ? 


REV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  87 

To  you,  the  surviving  officers  in  this  Company,  this  day 
must  be  a  solemn  day.  Who  can  be  the  successor  to  your 
late  Captain,  and  look  back  one  year  and  a  half,  and  not 
tremble  ?  Who  can  rise  to  a  higher  grade  and  not  tremble  ? 
But  why  speak  of  this  ?  Each  one,  whether  he  rise  in  rank 
or  not,  must  bow  to  the  king  of  terrors,  and  go  to  that 
world  from  which  there  is  no  return.  Who,  which  of  you, 
is  prepared  to  follow  next  ?  whose  turn  will  it  be  next  ? 
This  is  a  question  no  man  can  answer.  One  in  his  full 
strength  as  likely  as  one  who  is  diseased  and  feeble.  0  then, 
let  me  affectionately  entreat  you,  and  not  entreat  in  vain,  to 
take  care  of  your  souls.  Now  give  yourselves  to  Christ. 
Delay  no  longer.  Receive  him  as  your  commander;  rely  on 
his  righteousness ;  believe  and  obey  his  word.  Then,  and  not 
till  then,  may  you  live  in  peace,  die  in  peace,  and  be  crowned 
with  victory. 


88  MEMOIR  OF  THE 

THE  SUBSTANCE  OF  TWO  LECTURES 

ON     THE 

HISTORY    OF    MASON, 

D8LIVBRED  BEFORE  TUB  LTCECM 

IN   MASON    VILLAGE. 
BY    REV.    EBENEZER    HILL. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


To  THE  RET.  EBENEZER  HILL, 

Dear  Sir  : — We,  whose  names  are  here  subscribed,  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee, to  request  a  copy  for  publication,  of  your  recent  instructive  and  inter- 
esting discourse  upon  the  early  history  of  Mason,  delivered  before  the  Mason 
Village  Lyceum.  Desirous  of  preserving  the  history  of  the  past,  and  admon- 
ished by  your  advanced  age,  that  we  cannot  long  hope  to  enjoy  your  society, 
we  trust  you  will  comply  with  our  request. 

Yours  truly, 

GEORGE  ELLIOT, 
THOMAS  H.  MARSHALL, 
D.  F.  RICHARDSON. 
Mason  Village,  February  24,  1846. 


To  George  Elliot,  Esq.,  Dr.  Thomas  H.  Marshall,  and  Rev.  D.  F.  Richardson, 
Gentlemen  : — The  request  of  the  Lyceum,  made  through  you,  of  a  copy  of 
the  Lectures  on  the  History  of  the  Town,  delivered  last  winter,  I  cannot  refuse. 
\  ct  I  am  constrained  to  appreciate  the  request,  rather  as  a  mark  of  respect  to 
old  age,  than  as  an  evidence  of  merit  in  the  performance. 

Various  hindrances  have  caused  delay  in  examining  facts,  and  in  transcribing 
and  preparing  the  copy.  Such  as  it  is,  I  cheerfully  present  it  to  you,  and 
through  you,  Gentlemen,  to  the  members  of  the  Lyceum,  with  many  warm 
wishes  for  the  spiritual  and  temporal  prosperity  of  the  risen  and  rising  gen- 
eration. 

Very  respectfully  your  friend  and  humble  servant, 

EBEXEZER  HILL. 
Mason,  May  1,  1846, 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  89 


LECTURE. 


MOST  people  take  pleasure  in  reading  history,  and  learning 
the  events  of  ancient  days.  But  when  the  history  relates  to 
scenes  in  which  their  immediate  ancestors  were  concerned — • 
to  events  which  have  a  bearing  on  their  own  state  and  condi< 
tion,  the  interest  deepens  as  they  proceed. 

Who  will  not  find  entertainment  and  profit  in  reading  the 
history  of  England  from  its  earliest  period?  But  as  the 
time  approaches  when  our  forefathers  were  forced  to  leave 
their  pleasant  dwellings  and  their  beloved  country,  and  seek 
an  asylum  in  a  newly  discovered  continent,  where  they  might 
enjoy  civil  and  religious  liberty,  what  man  of  common  sensi- 
bility— certainly,  what  true  American,  is  not  moved  more  and 
more  ?  And  is  there  even  a  scholar  in  our  common  schools, 
who  can  read  the  landing  of  the  pilgrims  on  the  rock  in  Ply- 
mouth, and  the  severe  sufferings  they  had  to  endure,  and  the 
labors  they  had  to  perform,  without  feeling  his  heart  beat 
quick  within  him  ?  But  history,  whether  civil,  ecclesiastical, 
or  biographical,  not  only  affords  entertainment,  but  in  a 
pleasing  manner  valuable  instruction.  Nor  is  it  necessary 
that  the  history  should  abound  in  marvelous  and  wonder- 
stirring  events,  to  render  it  pleasant  and  profitable. 

Entertaining  these  views,  I  am  led  to  believe  that  the  his- 
tory of  Mason  may  be  thus  useful  to  the  present  inhabitants 
of  the  town,  and  especially  to  the  young  people ;  and  in  com- 
pliance with  a  special  request,  I  now  attempt  to  present  such 


90  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

facts  relative  to  this  town,  and  its  early  inhabitants,  as  I  have 
been  able  to  collect,  from  records  which  have  come  into  my 
hand:;,  and  from  conversation  had  with  old  people,  almost  all 
of  whom  are  now — >as  we  must  shortly  be— in  the  grave. 

The  land  included  in  this  town  is  part  of  a  grant  made  to 
Captain  John  Mason,  of  London,  by  the  king  of  England,  and 
it  appears  from  records  that  certain  persons  bought  of  John 
Tufton  Mason,  heir  of  John  Mason,  a  tract  of  his  said  grant 
in  Xew  Hampshire,  containing  about  77  square  miles,  of 
which  tract  this  town  is  a  part. 

At  a  meeting  of  these  proprietors  by  purchase  of  Mason, 
held  at  Portsmouth,  Joseph  Blanchard,  of  D unstable,  was 
accredited  their  agent ;  and  as  such,  in  their  name,  by  deed 
or  charter,  conveyed  to  a  company,  whose  names  are 
expressed  in  the  instrument,  a  certain  tract  of  land  five  miles 
square,  which  was  the  dimension  and  shape  of  this  town  in 
its  original  grant :  but  afterwards  a  strip  of  land  containing 
200  acres  was  taken  from  No.  2,  now  Wilton,  and  annexed  to 
Xo.  1,  so  called;  also  when  the  Province  line  was  run 
between  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  a  gore  of  land 
was  cut  off  from  Townsend,  and  annexed  to  Mason ;  so  that 
it  was  no  longer  square,  but  wider  from  North  to  South  than 
from  East  to  West.  The  charter  or  deed  was  executed  June 
16,  1749;  and  the  names  of  thirty -four  men  are  inserted  in 
the  instrument  as  grantees ;  most  of  whom,  as  far  as  I  can 
judge  by  the  names  and  other  circumstances,  were  from  the 
towns  of  D  unstable,  Hollis,  Groton,  Pepperell  and  Townsend. 
This  township,  thus  obtained,  was  designated  No.  1,  in  the 
Province  of  New  Hampshire,  north  or  back  of  Townsend. 

In  the  charter  were  certain  reservations,  which  shew  the 
regard,  both  grantors  and  grantees  had  for  the  education  of 
the  youth,  and  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  of  all,  as 
well  as  for  the  comfort  of  the  early  settlers.  For  instance, 
two  lots  of  land  were  reserved  for  encouragement  to  build 
mills ;  six  acres  were  reserved  for  a  common,  wherever  the 
meeting  house  should  be  located.  Three  shares  were 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  91 

reserved  for  other  uses,  viz :  One  share  to  the  first  settled 
minister ;  one  share  for  the  ministry  from  generation  to  gen- 
eration.* This  right  has  been  disposed  of,  and  I  say  happily 
disposed  of,  (notwithstanding  the  good  intentions  of  the 
grantors,  and  perhaps  the  illegality  of  the  act,)  for  in  this 
day  it  is  not  a  bone  of  contention.  A  third  share  was 
reserved  for  the  support  of  schools ;  and  it  is  a  matter  of 
regret  that  this  also  is  disposed  of. 

There  were  not  only  reservations,  but  also  conditions  in 
the  charter.  The  first  condition  was  that  a  meeting  house 
should  be  built  by  the  grantees,  for  the  use  of  the  inhabi- 
tants ;  and  built  as  near  the  centre,  as  by  the  grantees  should 
be  judged  most  convenient.  The  time  for  this  to  be  done 
was  limited  to  May,  1753.  Such  a  house  within  about  three 
rods  north  east  of  the  now  Old  Meeting  House,  was  erected, 
enclosed  and  covered,  and  little  more  ever  done  to  it.  Thus, 
it  remained  the  place  of  worship,  until  after  what  is  now 
called  the  Old  Meeting  House  in  the  centre  was  occupied.! 

Another  condition  in  the  charter  was,  that  on  some  lot  in 
each  share,  three  acres  should  be  cleared,  enclosed,  and  fitted 
for  mowing  or  tillage  in  two  years  from  the  date ;  and  on 
each  should  be  a  house  at  least  sixteen  feet  square,  and  seven 
feet  or  more  studded,  with  a  chimney  and  cellar,  fitted  for  a 
dwelling,  and  some  person  or  family  inhabit  it,  before  the 
last  of  May,  1752;  and  residence  be  continued  until  May, 
1755. 

The  settlement  of  the  town  advanced  slowly.  Yet  it 
appears  from  the  report  of  a  committee,  appointed  to  ascer- 
tain who  had  not  performed  their  duty,  that  in  three  years 
after  the  grant,  twenty-three  settlements  had  been  begun — 
few  had  more  than  eight  acres  cleared,  and  the  greatest 
clearing  was  twenty  acres.  Two  good  houses,  one  barn  and 

*  Supposed  to  be  three  lots. 

j  This  house  was  afterwards  torn  down  ;  and  at  the  time  the  following  incident  took  place. 
When  the  frame  was  all  down  except  the  four  posts  confined  by  the  gallery  sills,  Amos'  Dakin 
was  standing  on  one  of  these  sills,  when  the  remainder  of  the  frame  swayed  and  fell.  He  kept 
his  place  until  almost  to  the  ground,  and  then  leaped  and  fell  flat ;  the  timber  just  passed  over 
him,  and  he  received  no  injury. 


92  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

a  young  orchard  were  reported.  What  kind  of  houses,  tho 
first  were,  may  be  gathered  from  this  circumstance,  that  Mr. 
Obadiah  Parker's  house  was  the  first  framed  house  in  the 
town,  perhaps  the  only  one,  at  that  time,*  and  only  two  were 
called  good.  From  which  we  may  conclude  that  twenty-one 
out  of  the  twenty-three  were  made  of  round  logs,  or  at  best 
with  square  timber;  but  one  of  these  log  houses  remains  to 
this  day.f 

When  the  settlements  were  very  few,  instead  of  being 
compact,  as  might  have  been  expected  from  the  social  nature 
of  man,  they  were  scattered  to  almost  every  part  of  the 
town.  Enosli  Lawrence,  whose  axe  was  first  heard  to 
resound  in  our  forests,  was  from  Pcpperell,  and  began  his 
settlement  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  where  Ephraim  Hil- 
dreth  now  lives.  His  wife  was  the  first  white  woman  in  the 
town,  and  lived  to  old  age.  Nathan  Hall,  known  here  as 
Deacon  Hall,  also  from  Pepperell,  began  next  to  Mr.  Law- 
rence, and  settled  in  the  north  part,  where  Joseph  Saunders 
now  lives.  Obadiah  Parker  located  himself  on  the  west  side 
of  the  town.  There  were  only  three  women  in  the  town, 
when  Mrs.  Parker  left  her  relatives  and  friends  in  Chelms- 
ford,  to  accompany  her  husband  into  this  wilderness,  which 
was  then  considered  as  almost  the  far  West.  Thomas  Tarbell 
settled  in  the  east,  where  some  of  his  descendants  now  live, 
and  a  Mr.  Powers  located  in  the  extreme  east.  For  a  time 
the  only  place  that  appeared  like  a  neighborhood  was  on  the 
hill,  where  deacon  Hall  settled.  Soon  after  him  Henry  Jefts 
began  where  Jonathan  Batchelder  lives ;  Nathan  Fish  where 
Ira  Hall  lately  lived,  and  one  Samuel  Tarbell  where  Luther 
Nutting  lives. 

The  character  of  the  first  settlers  was  that  of  plain,  honest 
farmers.  Most  of  them,  in  the  common  language  of  the 
world,  were  poor.  Some  of  them  had  scarcely  more  than 
their  clothes,  their  axe  and  a  little  provision.  They  were 

•  Thii  it  the  old  house  on  the  place  where  Samuel  Wheeler  Western  now  lives. 
fThe  home  in  which  Stephen  Foster  now  resides. 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  93 

also  men  of  little  education,  and  their  children  suffered  greatly 
for  want  of  schooling. 

Would  our  children  and  youth  know  how  great  their  privi- 
leges are,  and  how  to  prize  them,  let  them,  in  imagination,  go 
back  fifty  or  sixty  years,  and  place  themselves  for  a  little 
time  beside  those  of  their  age  at  that  period.  The  children 
were  then  so  widely  scattered,  that  for  a  time  it  was  imprac- 
ticable to  form  them  into  schools.  The  standard  of  educa- 
tion also  was  low.  A  man  who  could  read  plain  reading,  and 
cypher  to  the  Rule  of  Three,  was  considered  qualified  to 
teach  a  common  school.  And  even  in  the  early  days  of  your 
fathers,  my  young  friends,  when  they  went  to  school  they  had 
not  a  well  constructed  and  comfortable  school  house.  Most 
commonly  they  had  a  room  in  some  private  house,  miserably 
fitted  up  with  benches  to  sit  on,  and  a  kind  of  tottering  table 
on  which  to  write,  and  not  unfrequently  scarcely  light  enough 
to  see  to  read.  Add  to  all  this,  they  had  very  few  books  in 
schools  or  in  families.  In  many  places  scholars  seldom  if 
ever  heard  in  school  of  English  Grammar,  Geography,  Natu- 
ral Philosophy,  Mathematics,  &c.,  which  are  studies  now 
brought  within  the  reach  of  almost  every  youth.  If  therefore 
the  present  generation  do  not  exceed  the  preceding  in  useful 
learning,  great  blame  must  be  attached  to  them. 

Our  forefathers,  and  mothers  too,  who  subdued  the  wilder- 
ness before  them,  were  a  hardy  and  an  industrious  race. 
The  prime  object  of  their  clothing  was  comfort,  and  their 
food  was  very  uniform  and  plain.  Tea  was  not  known  among 
them  in  this  early  period.  In  summer,  milk  and  bread  was 
the  food,  especially  of  children,  morning  and  evening;  and  in 
the  winter,  as  a  general  thing,  they  had  a  good  boiled  dish  for 
dinner,  which  laid  the  foundation  for  a  supper,  and  for  a 
breakfast  next  morning  for  the  family.  And  I  presume  those 
early  inhabitants  of  the  town  never  heard  of  such  a  disease 
as  dyspepsia.  They  were  not  distinguishingly  subject  to 
fevers ;  and  cases  of  consumption  were  very  rare ;  and  where 
they  did  occur,  they  were  slow  in  their  progress — not  unfre- 
13 


94  MEMOIR    OF   THE 

qucntly  did  it  take  years  to  do  the  work,  which  consumption 
now  sometimes  performs  in  a  few  weeks.  Also,  when  our 
hardy  ancestors  were  going  through  the  toil  of  subduing  the 
Avilderness,  they  did  not  have  ardent  spirits  to  cool  them  in 
the  heat  of  labor,  when  toiling  in  the  sun,  or  to  warm  them 
when  buffeting  the  storms,  or  enduring  the  cold  of  winter. 

Another  trait  in  the  character  of  the  early  settlers  of  No. 
1,  is  to  be  distinctly  noticed,  or  we  shall  injure  them.  Most 
of  them  were  brought  up  where  the  holy  Sabbath  was 
regarded,  and  they  were  accustomed  to  hear  the  gospel 
preached.  They  did  not,  when  removed  far  from  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  from  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  feel  as  if  this 
were  a  desired  freedom.  They  not  only  made  early  efforts, 
even  before  they  were  an  incorporate  body,  to  have  occasional 
preaching,  but  they  were  desirous  of  having  a  minister  settled 
among  them ;  and  few  and  feeble  as  they  were,  they  did  not 
shrink  from  the  effort  on  account  of  the  expense.  As  early 
as  1753,  the  proprietors  and  inhabitants  voted  to  allow  sixty 
pounds  (Old  Tenor  undoubtedly,)  to  pay  for  preaching,  and 
from  this  time  it  appears  they  had  preaching  more  or  less 
every  year. 

Previous  to  this,  they  had  voted  to  build  a  meeting  house, 
agreed  upon  the  dimensions,  appointed  a  committee,  and 
directed  them  "to  enclose  the  house,  lay  the  under  floor,  and 
build  a  convenient  place  for  the  minister  to  stand  in  to 
preach."  This  was  an  arduous  undertaking  considering  their 
number,  and  especially  that  they  had  no  mill,  in  which  they 
could  prepare  materials  for  building  from  their  own  forests. 
But  it  was  done.  And  having  a  house  for  worship,  they  were 
not  satisfied  with  preaching  part  of  the  time.  They  voted  to 
settle  a  minister  as  early  as  17G2,  i.  e.,  in  thirteen  years 
after  the  grant  of  the  township.  At  the  same  time  they  gave 
a  call  to  Mr.  Ebenezer  Champney,  (the  late  Judge  Champney, 
of  New  Ipswich,)  to  settle  Avith  them ;  and  offered  him  as 
settlement  "700  £  silver,  0.  T.  £400  salary  yearly,  and  a 
right  of  land."  This  was  a  generous  offer  considering  their 


REV.   EBENEZEB   HILL.  95 

number  and  circumstances.  I  have  named  these  sums  more 
particularly  for  the  benefit,  or  perhaps  the  amusement,  of 
the  young  people,  who  may  wish  for  some  information 
respecting  this  Old  Tenor,  and  its  valuation. 

The  currency  of  our  ancestors  in  New  England  was  reck- 
oned in  pounds,  shillings  and  pence,  and  was  called  Old 
Tenor,  in  distinction  from  another  valuation  of  the  same 
denominations  of  money,  called  Lawful  money,  or  sometimes 
New  Tenor.  Now  although  the  same  terms  were  used  in 
both,  their  meaning,  or  valuation  was  widely  different.  The 
denomination  in  Old  Tenor  was  just  seven  and  a  half  times 
less  in  value,  than  the  same  in  Lawful  money.  Hence  to 
reduce  Lawful  money  into  Old  Tenor  is  to  multiply  it  by  7J, 
and  to  reduce  Old  Tenor  into  Lawful  money,  divide  by  the 
same.  Hence  we  see  that  the  offer  made  to  Mr.  Champney 
was,  in  the  present  currency  of  the  day,  $311  12  cents  settle- 
ment, and  $177  78  cents  salary.*  Mr.  Champney  did  riot 
accept  the  call ;  nevertheless  the  people  were  not  discouraged. 
In  1766,  they  gave  a  call  to  one  James  Parker,  with  an  offer 
of  £400  0.  T.,  until  there  were  eighty  families,  and  then  £450 
until  one  hundred  families,  from  which  time  the  salary  should 
be  established  at  £500.  This  call  was  not  accepted ;  and  it 
does  not  appear  that  any  other  like  attempt  was  made,  until 
an  act  of  incorporation  was  obtained. 

These  hardy  pioneers  not  only  suffered  many  privations, 
but  endured  many  severe  hardships.  Not  the  least  of  these 
was  the  labor  of  making  roads,  and  for  years  the  badness  of 
traveling,  where  something  was  done  to  make  a  road.  And 
until  they  could  raise  some  grain  on  their  new  farms,  all 
their  bread  stuffs,  and  most  of  their  other  provisions  must  be 
brought  from  the  older  settlements.  The  instance  of  hard- 
ship, which  I  am  about  to  name,  may  be  an  extreme  case,  but 
it  may  help  our  young  friends  to  form  some  idea  of  the  suffer- 
ings incident  to  new  settlers,  especially  to  those,  who  are 

*  Thus  £700-:-7i=£93,  6,  8  Lawful=$311    11-1-  settlement.    Again,  £400  0.  T.-:-by  7J= 
£53  6s.  8d.  Lawful=to  $177  78-l-cents. 


86  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

poor  and  destitute.  Deacon  Hall,  who  has  been  named,  I 
have  been  informed,  after  having  toiled  all  day  on  his  farm, 
has  in  the  night  traveled  on  foot  to  Peppcrell,  and  returned 
bringing  a  bag  of  meal  on  his  shoulder  for  his  hungry  chil- 
dren ;  and  then  labored  the  next  day  as  usual.  • 

Not  the  least  of  the  sufferings,  and  the  cause  of  continued 
suffering,  arose  from  their  ignorance  of  clearing  wood  land, 
by  felling  the  trees  and  then  burning  the  ground  over.  I 
have  been  told  by  some  of  them  that  for  several  years,  the 
only  method  of  clearing  the  forest  was  to  chop  the  wood, 
draw  it  together,  pile  it,  burn  the  heaps,  and  then  break  up 
the  ground  with  the  plough,  or  breaking-up  hoe,  before  plant- 
ing or  sowing.  This  accounts  in  some  measure  for  the  slow 
progress  they  at  first  made  in  clearing. 

Again,  the  people  suffered  very  much  for  years  from  want 
of  mills.  It  was  a  primary  object  with  the  grantees  and 
first  settlers  to  have  mills  erected ;  and,  as  encouragement, 
mill  seats  were  looked  out,  and  land  granted  and  contracts 
made,  but  I  can  find  no  evidence,  of  a  mill  of  any  description 
in  the  town  before  the  year  1766  or  7.  In  the  year  1767,  I 
find  an  article  in  a  warrant  for  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors, 
to  see  if  they  will  accept  the  road  by  Thomas  Barrett's  mill, 
and  build  a  bridge  across  Souhegan  river,  near  said  mill.  It 
appears  that  Benjamin  Bellows,  Esq.,  contracted  to  build 
mills  at  this  place,  but  did  not  fulfil  his  contract.  And  also 
that  Thomas  Barrett  and  Charles  Barrett  built  mills  in  this 
place,  and  sold  them  to  Amos  Dakin,  of  Lincoln,  Mass.,  who 
removed  with  his  family  into  this  town  in  the  year  1768.  At 
that  time,  seventy-eight  years  since,  there  was  no  opening  in 
the  dense  forest,  where  this  village  now  stands,  except  for 
the  mill,  and  a  spot  cleared  for  a  house.  In  1767,  Elias 
Elliot's  mill  was  accepted  by  the  proprietors.  I  have  also 
evidence  that  not  far  from  the  same  time,  a  mill  was  erected 
in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  on  the  Ward  place  so  called, 
where  Mr.  Bennet  now  lives. 

Now  think  how  much  the  people  must  have  suffered  who 


EEV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  97 

lived  ten  or  fifteen  years,  where,  if  they  raised  any  grain  they 
must  carry  it  to  Townsend  or  Pepperell,  and  sometimes  even 
to  Groton,  to  have  it  made  into  meal ;  and  although  they  had 
timber  in  abundance,  they  could  not  have  a  board,  but  it  must 
come  from  another  town.  Yet  they  submitted  to  these 
inconveniences  and  hardships  with  cheerfulness,  and  perse- 
vered in  labor,  till  they  had  prepared  for  the  comfort  of 
their  children. 

Not  only  did  the  men  display  courage,  and  resolution,  and 
public  spirit,  but  I  have  been  told  by  the  women  themselves, 
that  they  have  traveled,  some  two,  and  some  three  miles 
through  the  woods,  with  nothing  to  direct  their  way  but 
marked  trees,  to  carry  dinner  to  their  husbands,  when  work- 
ing at  the  meeting  house.  I  believe  that  some  of  my  hearers 
would  think  such  a  case  a  great  hardship,  if  the  case  was 
theirs. 

But,  however  strong  female  fortitude  may  be  in  duty,  where 
none  are  exposed  to  danger  but  themselves,  how  must  the 
tender  mother  suffer,  if  her  young  children  are  absent  a  little 
longer  than  was  expected,  or  if  out  of  sight  when  the  light 
of  day  departs — where  the  wolves  and  other  wild  animals 
are  so  numerous,  that  their  noise  in  the  night  would  break 
those  of  their  rest,  who  had  toiled  all  day,  and  needed  the 
refreshment  of  sleep  ? 

Many  of  the  early  settlers  reared  up  and  left  large  families, 
and  their  descendants  are  numerous  in  the  town ;  but  some 
of  the  families  are  almost  extinct.  Our  fathers,  where  are 
they  ?  Many  of  them  lived  to  be  old.  But  they  are  gone.* 

As  to  natural  curiosities,  this  town  does  not  abound  in 
them.  There  are  no  very  remarkable  caverns,  or  precipices, 
or  streams ;  and  we  all  know  that  the  face  of  the  ground  is 
uneven,  and  the  soil  is  stony.  There  is,  however,  in  the  deep 

*  A  case  I  will  here  name  as  very  uncommon  and  remarkable.  Deacon  Hall,  of  whom  I  have 
spoken,  built  him  a  house  in  the  early  period  of  his  settlement,  and  dwelt  in  it,  with  hig  fam- 
ily (which  was  not  small)  to  his  old  age — till  it  was  no  longer  habitable,  and  never  did  an 
instance  of  death  occur  in  that  house.  Nevertheless,  the  builder,  and  I  believe  all  that  were 
brought  up  in  that  house,  have  gone  the  way  of  the  earth. 


98  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

hollow,  cast  of  the  old  meeting  house,  (where  by  some  con- 
vulsion of  nature  the  rocks  are  thrown  together  in  wild  con- 
fusion,) a  small  cave,  which  those  who  have  visited,  have 
thought  worthy  of  a  visit.  The  streams  of  water  are  small, 
yet  they  afford  some  valuable  mill  sites,  on  which  are  now 
eight  saw-mills  in  operation  part  of  the  year,  and  six  run  of 
stone  for  grinding  grain. 

In  this  place,  I  will  name  another  fact,  which  may  be  con* 
sidercd  belonging  to  the  history  of  the  town.  The  hills  were 
favorite  hunting  grounds,  and  long  before  a  grant  of  the  town 
was  obtained,  and  for  years  after  it  began  to  be  settled,  the 
hunters  frequently  kindled  fires  in  the  woods  for  the  benefit 
of  their  hunting.  And  if  the  hunters  did  not  fire  the  woods, 
some  men  from  lower  towns  did,  that  young  sprouts  might 
come  up  for  young  cattle  to  feed  upon.  By  these  means, 
some  parts  of  the  town,  especially  Pole  Hill,  so  called,  rang- 
ing south  from  the  stone  school  house,  was  greatly  injured, 
while  yielding  grain  to  those  who  did  not  own  the  soil.  And 
some  families  in  Groton  used  to  make  hay  in  the  meadow, 
near  the  centre,  called  Nose-meadow,  where  they  had  a  camp, 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  winter  send  up  young  cattle,  and  a 
black  man  named  Boad,  to  feed  and  tend  them,  until  they 
could  get  their  living  in  the  woods.*  Here  Boad  used  to 
spend  months  alone,  year  after  year,  like  Robinson  Crusoe, 
"sole  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed." 

The  period  to  which-we  have  now  arrived,  was  to  this  town 
like  that  of  youth,  just  blooming  into  manhood.  They  began 
to  think,  and  talk  of  being  incorporated.  They  had  a  desire 
to  be  like  other  towns;  and  yet  had  fears  whether  -equal  to 
take  such  a  stand.  This  kind  of  trembling  state  of  mind 
appears  from  their  votes  at  meetings,  where  the  subject  was 
agitated.  At  a  meeting  called  partly  for  this  purpose,  April, 
1766,  it  was  finally  voted,  not  to  be  incorporated  at  present. 
Thus  it  rested  until  January,  1768,  and  the  meeting  was 

*  Boad'i  camp  was  but  a  few  rods  from  the  spot,  on  which  Joel  Ames'  house  now  stands.— 
Thit  Boad  wu  a  ilave. 


REV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  99 

adjourned  four  weeks  for  consideration.  At  the  adjournment 
it  was  voted  to  be  incorporated,  "  and  that  Lt.  0.  Parker  be 
appointed  to  attend  to  the  business,  and  get  it  accomplished 
as  soon  as  may  be." 

The  next  point  to  be  settled,  was  the  name  by  which  the 
town  should  be  called.  And  at  a  meeting  held  June,  1768,  it 
was  voted  that  the  town  be  called  Sharon.  It  does  not  appear 
from  any  records  I  have  seen,  or  from  any  tradition  which  has 
reached  me,  why  the  name  of  Sharon  was  dropped,  and  the 
name  Mason  adopted.  There  was,  however,  a  report  current 
among  the  old  people,  that  "a  bell  wa.s  sent  from  England  for 
this  town,  as  a  present  from  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Mason,"  which, 
if  fact,  will  account  for  the  name.  It  is  also  reported,  that 
by  the  knavery  of  the  agent  of  Mr.  Mason  in  Boston,  the  bell 
was  lost  to  the  town — that  he  sold  the  bell,  and  absconded 
with  this  and  other  dishonest  gains.  And  the  bell  on  the 
Old  South  in  Boston,  is  said  to  be  that  bell.  The  next  meet- 
ing was  warned  in  the  name  of  the  inhabitants  of  Mason ; 
and  the  place  was  no  longer  known  as  Number  1.  But 
although  they  had  assumed  a  rank  among  the  towns  in  the 
Province,  they  felt  themselves,  as  a  society,  weak  and  feeble. 
When  the  first  tax  was  assessed  under  the  corporation,  there 
were  but  seventy-six  rateable  polls,  and  probably  not  more 
than  fifty-six  voters ;  for  young  men  between  eighteen  and 
twenty-one  years  of  age  were  rateable,  and  their  rates 
charged  to  fathers  or  masters.  And  for  a  number  of  years, 
Brookline,  then  Raby,  was  classed  with  Mason  to  send  a  rep- 
resentative to  the  General  Court;  and  the  meetings  for 
choice  were  held  alternately  at  Brookline  and  Mason. 

It  will  be  necessary  now  to  take  some  notice  of  the  church, 
in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  town.  At  that  time  a 
town  was  an  incorporate  religious,  as  well  as  civil  society. 
And  all  the  inhabitants  of  a  town  belonged  to  that  society, 
except  they  united  with,  or  formed  another  religious  society, 
according  to  law.  The  meeting  house  erected  by  the  original 
proprietors,  was  by  them  given  to  the  town,  and  remained 


100  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

the  only  house  for  their  religious  assemblies,  and  other  public 
meetings,  until  the  year  1790.  It  was  an  uncomfortable 
place.  In  that  house  did  your  fathers  worship  j  and  uncom- 
fortable as  it  was,  seldom  did  a  Sabbath  pass,  even  in  the 
cold  of  winter,  in  which  there  was  no  meeting,  after  they  had 
a  stated  ministry.  A  good  number  of  the  oarly  settlers  were 
members  of  the  Congregational  church,  in  the  toAvns  from 
which  they  removed,  but  no  church  was  formed  in  Mason, 
until  tho  year  1772.  at  which  time  Mr.  Jonathan  Searle  was 
ordained  their  pastor.  The  church  then  consisted  of  twenty- 
one  members,  twelve  brethren  and  nine  sisters,  all  of  whom 
are  gone  to  their  long  home.  When  the  church  was  gathered, 
it  was  stated  to  be  a  Calvinistic  church,  and  that  their  articles 
of  faith  agree  substantially  with  the  principles  of  religion, 
contained  in  the  Shorter  Catechism  of  the  Assembly  of 
Divines. 

Shortly  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Searle,  unhappy  diffi- 
culties arose  between  the  pastor  and  the  flock,  which  eventu- 
ated in  his  dismission,  in  nine  years  and  three  months  after 
his  ordination.  From  that  time  Mr.  Searle  ceased  to  preach, 
but  continued  in  the  town,  and  officiated  as  a  civil  magistrate, 
to  an  advanced  age.  During  his  ministry,  only  fourteen  were 
admitted  to  the  church  by  profession,  and  nine  by  letter,  and 
eleven  owned  the  covenant,  as  it  was  called,  according  to  the 
practice  of  many  churches  in  New  England,  in  those  days. 
The  last  admitted  by  profession  in  Mr.  Searle's  ministy,  was 
in  April,  1777,  and  but  one  more,  and  that  by  letter,  until 
1700.  Here  was  a  long  death-like  sleep!  but  one  added  to 
the  church  in  thirteen  years.  The  sleep  seems  to  have  been 
profound — death-like  indeed,  until  the  year  1785,  when  a 
great  revival  of  religion,  and  of  the  work  of  God,  com- 
menced in  New  Ipswich,  under  the  ministry  of  the  venerable 
Farrar — a  name  venerated  indeed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
The  gracious  work  extended  into  other  towns ;  and  this  part 
of  the  vineyard  was  remembered  in  mercy.  Some  few  chris- 
tians  were  awakened,  and  brought  to  apply  themselves  to 


REV.    EBENEZER   HILL.  101 

neglected  duties ;  and  the  people  in  Mason,  especially  the 
young,  flocked  to  the  solemn  meetings  in  New  Ipswich,  and 
soon  some  were  reproved  of  sin,  became  anxious  for  their 
souls,  and  after  a  time,  rejoiced  in  hope  of  pardoning  mercy. 
Such,  however,  was  the  state  of  the  church  in  Mason,  broken, 
and  dispirited,  that  the  young  candidates  for  the  church  were 
led  to  seek  admission  to  the  church  in  New  Ipswich,  to  which 
they  had  become  peculiarly  attached  by  that  acquaintance, 
which  their  situation  and  intercourse  had  brought  about; 
and  by  that  mutual  love  which  new-born  souls,  who  have 
mourned,  and  wept,  and  prayed  and  rejoiced  together,  must 
feel.  Their  request  was  granted,  on  condition  that  they 
remove  their  relation  whenever  the  church  in  Mason  should 
become  in  a  settled  state.  In  the  year  1790,  the  resident 
members  of  other  churches  removed  their  relation,  and  the 
church  was  increased  to  thirty-six  in  number,  and  in  the  same 
year,  Nov.  3d,  was  the  present  pastor  ordained,  and  constitu- 
ted pastor  of  this  church.  In  this  long  period  of  fifty-six 
years,  there  have  been  precious  seasons  of  revival.  I  will 
mention  some  of  those  seasons.  In  1802,  the  church  was 
increased  by  the  addition  of  forty-four  members — in  1812, 
added  twenty-five — in  1826  and  7,  added  eighty-six — in  1834 
and  '35,  added  thirty-eight;  and  in  1841,  added  eighty-three. 
The  whole  number  of  members,  received  by  profession  and 
letter,  is  rising  four  hundred  and  fifty. 

A  Baptist  church  was  embodied  in  this  town,  Oct.  28, 1786, 
then  consisting  of  seven  members,  three  males  and  four 
females.  Additions  were  made  by  letter  and  profession  to 
this  church  in  this  and  neighboring  towns.  About  this  time, 
Mr.  Wm.  Elliot,  an  inhabitant  of  the  town,  commenced 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  labored  much  in  this  and  other 
towns,  as  an  evangelist,  until  in  August,  1788,  the  church  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  gave  him  a  call  to  become  their 
pastor,  which  call  he  accepted,  and  was  ordained  by  an  eccle- 
siastical council,  on  the  3d  Wednesday  in  November,  1788. 
For  a  time,  the  care  of  almost  all  the  Baptist  churches  in  the 
14 


102  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

vicinity,  came  upon  him.  He  raised  up  a  numerous  family, 
and  had  two  sons  settled  in  the  ministry.  He  lived  to  a 
good  old  age,  his  last  sickness  was  very  distressing,  which  he 
endured  with  patience,  and  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith, 
June  14,  1830,  aged  81  years.  The  church  of  which  he  was 
pastor,  is  now  merged  in  the  Baptist  church  in  Mason  village. 

In  the  month  of  May,  in  the  year  1833,  another  church 
and  society  was  gathered  and  embodied  in  this  town,  consist- 
ing at  the  time,  of  twenty-three  members.  This  society 
assume  only  the  name  of  Christian. 

Since  the  year  1790,  there  has  been  no  inconsiderable 
increase  of  inhabitants,  and  no  little  improvement  in  build- 
ings, and  other  accommodations.  The  exact  number  of  voters 
in  1790,  is  not  ascertained;  but  in  1768,  we  may  calculate 
about  fifty-six,  and  in  March,  1845,  our  check  list  told  three 
hundred  and  six  legal  voters.  In  the  year  1790,  when  almost 
the  whole  town  undertook  to  build  a  meeting  house,  it  was 
with  many  discouragements  and  fears.  They  felt  poor  and 
weak-handed  for  such  an  undertaking.  The  house  was  built 
and  remains  the  meeting  house  of  the  town.  And  now,  besides 
this,  we  have  three  meeting  houses,  and  three  religious  socie- 
ties, and  probably  each  society  equally  able  to  build  their 
house,  as  was  the  first. 

I  can  reckon  up  but  one  hundred  and  ten  dwelling  houses, 
of  every  description,  standing  in  the  town  in  1790.  And  at 
that  time,  on  all  the  ground  which  contains  this  flourishing 
village,  there  were  standing  the  first  mill  built  here,  one 
dwelling  house,  built  at  two  times,  for  the  accommodation  of 
two  families,  and  one  barn.*  Now  we  can  count  fifty-two 
dwelling  houses,  three  stores,  one  meeting  house,  three  fac- 
tory buildings — one  in  full  operation,  carrying  two  thousand 
four  hundred  and  sixty-four  spindles,  in  this  village. 

Compare  the  present  state  of  the  Columbian  Factory,  with 
the  one  first  built  here,  and  it  will  give  a  fair  view  of  the 
advance  of  our  country  in  manufactures,  arts  and  commerec. 

•  The  widow  Polly  Hill  now  occupies  the  remaining  part  of  the  house. 


REV.   EBENEZEB    HILL.  103 

The  first  Cotton  Factory  in  Mason,  commenced  operation 
in  the  year  1813,  with  one  hundred  spindles,  in  four  small 
frames,  and  was  kept  running  night  and  day.  At  that  time, 
the  price  of  cotton  was  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  cents 
per  pound,  and  the  price  of  yarn,  No.  16,  was  one  dollar  per 
pound.  In  1814  cotton  was  forty  cents,  and  yarn  one  dollar 
and  sixteen  cents  per  pound.  At  that  time  all  the  cotton 
was  picked  by  hand,  in  private  families,  and  the  cloth  was 
Wove  in  house  looms ;  and  the  price  of  shirting,  was  from 
thirty  to  forty  cents  per  yard.  For  constant  market  the  cloth 
must  be  sent  in  wagons  to  Albany.  And  at  that  time  there 
was  no  market  here  for  farm  produce. 

At  the  time  referred  to,  1790,  there  were  but  four,  and 
those  very  poor,  school  houses  in  the  town ;  now  there  are 
ten ;  some  of  them  may  be  called  good.  And  not  only  is  the 
number  of  dwelling  houses  increased,  but  there  is  an  advance 
in  elegance  and  convenience.  At  that  time  many  of  the 
dwellings  were  miserably  poor;  and  but  one  in  all  the  town, 
Mr.  Parker's,  had  any  paint  on  the  outside,  and  that  scarcely 
perceptible  by  reason  of  age.  And  I  can  think  of  only  three 
rooms  in  all  the  town,  then  adorned  with  paper  hangings. 

Since  those  ancient  days  there  have  been  great  changes  in 
customs  and  fashions,  and  manner  of  living ;  and  many  con- 
veniences have  been  introduced;  but  whether  on  the  whole 
for  the  better,  remains  to  be  proved.  At  that  period  there 
was  not  a  chaise,  or  other  wheel  carriage  for  pleasure,  in  all 
the  town,  (a  light  one  horse  wagon,  for  pleasure  or  business 
is  a  modern  invention,)  neither  was  there  one  single  sleigh. 
To  ride  on  horseback  was  fashionable  for  men  and  women ; 
and  could  they  have  a  single  horse,  this  was  traveling  in  style. 
It  was  not  uncommon  for  a  man  and  woman  to  ride  on  the 
same  horse  to  meeting  or  a  short  journey,  and  carry  one  or 
two  children.  Probably  if  I  should  tell  some  of  my  young 
friends,  that  their  mothers  and  grandmothers  rode  on  a  pillion 
behind  their  husbands,  they  would  have  no  idea  of  that  easy 
and  commodious  seat,  a  pillion.  But,  I  have  frequently  seen 


104  MEMOIR    OP   THE 

a  man  and  his  wife  ride  together  on  a  horse  to  meeting,  on 
the  sabbath,  after  their  united  ages  amounted  to  one  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  years.  It  was  also  not  uncommon  for  families 
to  ride  to  meeting,  or  to  make  social  visits,  in  the  winter,  on 
sleds  drawn  by  oxen,  and  they  would  chat  and  smile  as  cheer- 
fully, as  they  now  do  in  a  stage  and  four  or  six. 

And  will  you,  my  young  friends,  believe  that  your  mothers 
and  grandmothers,  and  those  who  moved  in  the  first  grade  of 
society,  were  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  the  religious  assem- 
bly, or  in  any  company  on  other  occasions,  dressed  in  their 
plain,  decent,  warm,  home-made  clothing,  or  at  the  most,  in 
the  summer,  in  a  chintz  gown,  and  a  white  linen  apron  ?  Such 
was  indeed  the  fact.  And  you  may  judge,  whether  they  were 
not  more  comfortable  than  they  would  have  been  in  some  mod- 
ern dresses — whether  the  change  to  costly  elegance  and  finery 
has  been  a  real  advance  in  the  enjoyment  of  life. 

In  the  early  period  of  the  settlement,  it  was  often  imprac- 
ticable to  keep  the  roads  open  in  the  winter,  so  as  to  pass 
with  a  team  or  a  horse  from  house  to  house,  to  meeting  or 
to  mill.  The  people  were  not  however  confined  at  home, 
through  a  long  and  dreary  winter.  Every  family,  and  almost 
every  man  was  provided  with  a  pair  of  snow  shoes,  otherwise 
called  rackets.  (It  would  doubtless  be  as  difficult  at  this  day 
to  give  our  young  men  a  correct  idea  of  rackets,  as  to  give 
our  young  ladies  a  correct  idea  of  a  pillion.)  With  these 
snow  shoes  they  were  enabled  to  walk  on  the  snow,  and  after 
passing  a  few  times  would  have  a  good  foot  path  from  house 
to  house.  And  not  unfrequently  were  they  necessitated  to 
get  up  their  wood,  and  carry  their  grain  to  mill,  on  hand  sleds 
drawn  on  these  racket  paths.  And  although  horses  could  not 
travel,  you  may  not  think  the  young  ladies  or  their  mothers 
were  confined  at  home,  and  must  lose  all  the  pleasures  of 
social  visits,  while  the  snow  lay  deep  on  the  ground.  They 
too  would  put  on  the  snow  shoes,  and  travel  off;  and  although 
enduring  a  little  more  fatigue,  they  enjoyed  their  visits,  it  is 


REV.   EBENEZER    HILL.  105 

presumed,  as  well  as  do  ladies  at  the  present  day,  when  wafted 
over  the  snow  with  the  music  of  bells. 

Our  ancestors  were  a  hardy  race,  but  they  were  sometimes 
visited  with  sickness,  and  death  entered  their  dwellings.  For. 
a  long  time  they  must  have  obtained  all  their  medical  aid 
from  other  towns ;  for  there  never  was  a  resident  Physician 
in  the  town,  until  about  1790,  when  Dr.  Joseph  Gray  and 
Dr.  William  Barber  established  themselves  permanently  here. 
Dr.  Barber  is  yet  living.  Dr.  Willis  Johnson  commenced 
medical  practice  here  in  the  year  1814. 

The  inhabitants  were  not  so  exactly  on  the  peace  establish- 
ment as  to  have  no  litigation ;  but  they  were  necessitated  to 
seek  legal  advice  and  services  from  gentlemen  of  the  bar  in 
other  towns.  For  there  never  was  a  lawyer  became  an  inhab- 
itant of  this  town,  until  the  late  Samuel  Whiting,  Esq.,  opened 
an  office,  and  commenced  residence  about  the  year  1825.  At 
the  time  of  my  earliest  acquaintance  with  the  town,  there 
were,  and  there  had  never  been,  but  two  justices  of  the  peace 
in  the  place,  Jonathan  Searle  and  Benjamin  Mann;  they 
remained  the  only  magistrates  in  the  town  several  years  after 
this.  Esquire  Mann  held  his  office  until  he  removed  from  the 
town,  and  Esquire  Searle  held  his  until  his  death.  Who  was 
the  first  Representative  of  the  town  in  the  General  Court,  as 
it  was  then  called,  is  not  easily  ascertained.  But  it  appears 
that  as  early  as  the  year  1775,  Amos  Dakin  was  chosen  by 
the  joint  ballot  of  Raby  and  Mason,  to  represent  them  in  a 
Convention  at  Exeter  in  December;  and  likewise  commis- 
sioned to  act  in  the  Assembly,  if  requisite.  This  must  have 
been  the  time  when  Mr.  Dakin  traveled  from  Mason  to  Exe- 
ter on  snow  shoes,  because  not  practicable  in  any  other  way. 
He  may  be  considered  the  first  Representative.  The  first 
Grand  Juror  chosen  was  Thomas  Tarbell,  the  first  petit  Juror 
drawn  was  Zachariah  Davis — the  year  1771. 

The  early  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Mason  were  true  sons 
of  liberty.  When  the  difficulties  between  the  mother  country 
and  the  Colonies,  arose  to  such  a  pitch  as  to  take  away  the 


106  MEMOIR   OP   THE 

hope  of  accommodation,  they  were  ready  to  act  with  decision. 
I  have  never  heard  of  but  one  inhabitant  of  Mason,  at  that 
time,  who  was  unfriendly  to  the  cause  of  the  Colonies.     Cap- 
tain  Samuel  Tarbell  was  then  considered  a  tory,  as  those  were 
called,  who  were  disposed  to  espouse  and  maintain  the  cause 
of  the  King  and  Parliament  in  all  their  oppressive  acts  against 
the  Colonies.     He,  after  the  war  commenced,  fled  and  took 
refuge  within  the  British  lines.     When  it  was  apparent  that 
the  Colonies  must  submit  unconditionally,  or,  weak  and  feeble 
as  they  were,  must  defend  themselves   against   the   mighty 
power  of  Great  Britain,  these  sons  of  the  forest  were  by  no 
means  behind  any  of  their  brethren,  in  making  preparation 
for  defence,  and  in  readiness  to  step  forward  and  exert  their 
strength,  when  called  to  action.     In  the  year  1774,  meetings 
of  the  town  were  frequent ;    and  it  appears  that  there  was 
great  unanimity  in  their  resolves,  which  were  all  of  the  defen- 
sive character.     In  this  year  they  voted  to   purchase  a  town 
stock  of  ammunition,  and  a  quantity  of  arms.     At  the  same 
time,  they  entered  into  solemn  covenant  to  suspend  all  com- 
mercial intercourse  with  Great  Britain,  until  her  acts  of  Par- 
liament leveled  at  the  rights  of  the  Colonies  should  be  repeal- 
ed, and  the  Port  of  Boston,  which  was  then  shut,  should  be 
opened.     This  covenant  was  substantially  the   same,  as  was 
entered  into  in  the  Colonies  generally ;  but  the  spirit  of  these 
sons  of  liberty  was  seen  in  the  closing  up  of  the  solemn  cov- 
enant, the  last  clause  of  which  was  in  substance,  that  "  all 
who  refused  or  neglected  to  come  into  this  or  a  like  agree- 
ment, ought  to  be,  and  should  by  them  be  considered  and 
esteemed  enemies  to  their  country."     Such  a  covenant  was 
not  only  voted  in  town  meeting  to  be  accepted,  but  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  see  that  the  covenant  be  signed  by 
the  inhabitants,  and  to  take  and  report  the  names  of  all  who 
refused  to  .sign,     This  committee  consisted  of  the  following 
persons :     Amos  Dakin,  Samuel  Brown,  Joshua  Davis,  Nathan 
Hall  and  James  Wethee.      Also,  in   1775,  a   committee    of 
infection  was  appointed,  to  see  that  the  resolves  of  the  Con- 


EEV.   EBENEZER   HILL.  107 

tinental  Congress  be  duly  observed.  And  to  prepare  for 
comfortable  subsistence  as  well  as  for  defence,  in  town  meet- 
ing it  was  voted,  in  view  of  the  increasing  difficulty  which 
might  be  expected,  of  procuring  such  a  necessary  article  as 
salt,  "that  thirty  hogsheads  be  purchased,  while  it  could  be 
had,  for  the  use  of  the  town." 

We  have  evidence  also,  that-the  fathers  of  the  present  gen- 
eration were  not  only  brave  and  prudent  in  Resolves,  but  also 
in  action. 

When  tidings  arrived  in  Mason,  that  the  Regulars,  i.  e.  the 
British  troops,  had  gone  out  from  Boston,  and  proceeded  as 
far  as  Concord,  and  that  blood  was  actually  shed  in  Lexing- 
ton and  Concord,  the  men  dropped  their  tools,  and  with  all 
possible  speed,  hastened  to  the  spot,  where  blood  had  flowed. 
And  I  have  been  informed  that  the  training  soldiers,  on  this 
occasion,  ready  to  avenge  the  blood  of  their  slaughtered 
countrymen,  marched  under  officers,  who  held  their  commis- 
sion from  the  King,  whose  troops  they  were  willing  to 
engage,  without  thinking  of  any  impropriety.  New  Hamp- 
shire troops  were  distinguished  in  the  war.  And  as  far  as 
can  be  judged  at  this  time  from  town  records  and  tradition, 
Mason  bore  its  full  proportion,  with  other  towns,  in  sufferings 
and  effective  labor. 

I  wish  I  could  give  you  the  names  of  all  the  Mason  men, 
who  were  with  the  gallant  Stark  in  the  battle  of  Bennington. 
Many  of  the  young  men  of  the  town  spent  their  best  days  in 
the  army.  Some  of  the  elderly  men  were  found  in  the 
tented  field ;  but  many  of  the  soldiers  entered  the  service  of 
their  country  in  their  very  boyhood,  not  by  compulsion,  but 
by  voluntary  enlistment,  and  continued  in  the  service,  until 
the  independence  of  the  country  was  acknowledged,  and 
peace  spread  her  blessings  over  the  land.  A  few,  and  but  a 
few  of  them  all,  survive  to  the  present  day. 

The  names  of  most  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  town,  are 
handed  down  in  their  posterity.  A  few  families  have  lost 
their  name,  yet  the  greater  part  of  the  present  inhabitants, 


108  MEMOIR   OF   THE 

are  descendants  of  those  who  cleared  the  forests  for  them. 
Who  will  be  ashamed  of  such  ancestors  ?  We  pretend  not 
that  they  were  faultless ;  but  let  their  descendants  emulate 
their  virtues,  and  avoid  their  errors  and  faults,  as  far  as  they 
are  known,  and  Mason  will  be  a  happy  spot  in  our  favored 
land. 

Your  attention  is  now  called  to  another  subject,  which 
makes  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  town,  yet  of  a  different 
character  from  that  which  we  have  been  contemplating. 

Health  is  said  to  be  the  greatest  of  temporal  blessings. 
Of  this  we  have  been  favored  with,  at  least,  a  common  share 
with  other  towns  around ;  and  we  can  tell  of  many  instances 
of  longevity.  In  the  course  of  the  forty  last  years,  there 
have  died  in  this  town  fifty-seven  between  eighty  and  ninety 
years  old,  fourteen  between  ninety  and  one  hundred.  One 
man,  Jonathan  Foster,  exceeded  one  hundred  years,  and 
another,  Oliver  Eliott,  one  hundred  and  two  and  one-half.  It 
may  be  well  to  note  in  a  passing  remark,  that  these  two  old 
men  were  very  temperate  in  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks, 
for  the  age  in  which  they  lived,  and  their  common  food  was 
of  the  plainest  kinds. 

But  notwithstanding  the  acknowledged  healthiness  of  the 
place,  and  many  instances  of  longevity,  we  have  had  seasons 
of  calamity,  in  which  mortal  sickness  has  prevailed.  We 
have  had  two  seasons  in  which  angina  maligna,  or  throat 

o  O          ' 

distemper,  or  canker  rash,  so  called,  has  spread  terror  and 
dismay  over  the  place,  and  carried  many  of  the  young  children 
and  blooming  youth,  to  an  early  grave.  In  the  year  1810, 
this  dreadful  distemper  made  its  appearance,  in  the  last  of 
March,  or  beginning  of  April,  and  continued  to  spread  dismay, 
until  the  month  of  August.  In  this  short  period  many  fami- 
lies felt  the  scourge,  and  death  cut  off  twelve  children,  all  but 
two,  under  the  age  of  five  years.  Again,  in  the  years  1818 
and  1819,  the  same  dreadful  disease  was  epidemic  in  the 
town,  and  many  of  the  children  and  youth  fell  before  this 
destroyer.  These  years  were  the  years  of  the  greatest  mor- 


REV.    EBENEZEB   HILL.  109 

tality  ever  known  in  the  town ;  in  one  34,  in  the  other  31  deaths, 
65  in  two  years.  In  the  reign  of  this  malignant  disease, 
but  one  aged  person  fell  before  the  shaft  of  death,  while 
40  were  cut  down  under  the  age  of  eighteen.  "With  respect 
to  the  visitation  of  this  malignant  distemper  at  this  time,  it 
is  to  be  remarked,  it  began  in  the  South  East  part  of  the 
town,  in  the  family  of  Darius  Hudson,  in  a  small  house  stand- 
ing on  an  highly  elevated  spot,  not  near  any  other  building; 
this  was  about  the  middle  of  September,  1818 ;  and  it  continued 
to  rage  until  the  beginning  of  August,  1819.  It  is  noted,  it 
began  in  the  South  East  part  of  the  town.  By  this,  you  will 
understand,  that  we  have  no  knowledge  that  the  sickness 
existed  at  that  time,  in  any  neighboring  town,  and  certainly 
it  was  not  in  any  other  house  at  this  time.  Its  first  appear- 
ance was  in  its  most  malignant  form.  In  the  short  space  of 
eight  days,  three  out  of  seven  children  died  in  the  first  visited 
family.  The  disease  did  not  spread  in  the  nearest  families. 
This  did  not  appear  to  be  a  radiating  point,  from  which 
contagion  should  issue  forth  in  all  directions.  Instead  of 
that,  its  next  appearance  was  at  a  good  distance,  at  least  a 
mile  to  the  North  East,  where  there  had  been  no  communica- 
tion between  the  families.  And  the  third  case  was  in  the 
extreme  South  part  of  the  town.  And  thus  it  extended  from 
East  to  West,  from  North  to  South,  to  every  part  of  the 
town.  Neither  was  it  always  the  case,  that  all  the  children 
of  the  same  family,  or  who  lived  in  the  same  house,  where 
the  sickness  was,  had  it.  And  not  only,  as  in  the  first 
instance,  but  in  other  instances,  those  had  the  disease,  who 
had  not  been  exposed  to  catch  it,  as  they  say,  by  coming  in 
contact  with  the  diseased,  or  entering  infected  places. 

Here   I  will  name  one  extraordinary  case,  and  leave  it 
without  comment. 

There  was  a  little  girl  in  a  family  in  the  South  side  of  the 

town,  somewhat  remote  from  neighbors,  who  was  the  only 

child  in  the  house.     She  was  an  adopted  daughter  j   and  the 

foster  mother  had   such  forebodings  of  death,  should  the 

15 


Ill)  MEMOIR   OF    THE 

disease  attack  her  child,  and  such  apprehensions  of  danger 
from  exposure,  that  from  the  first  knowledge  she  had  of  the 
existence  of  the  disease  in  the  town,  she  restricted  her  child 
to  the  house,  and  suffered  no  child  from  abroad  to  enter  her 
doors.  This  secluded  child  fell  sick  of  this  frightful  disease, 
and  died. 

In  conclusion  of  this  point  of  interesting  history,  I  state 
that  in  the  space  of  the  last  forty-six  years,  there  have  been 
removed  from  this  town — from  their  houses,  and  fields,  and 
possessions,  to  the  narrow  home  appointed  for  all  the  living, 
a  number,  little,  if  any  short  of  eight  hundred  and  thirty. 
What  a  congregation  this  would  make  !  more  than  half  the 
number  of  the  present  inhabitants.  Looking  at  the  past, 
what  changes  may  be  expected  in  the  future  ?  It  is  believed 
that  there  are  but  two  living,  on  earth,  who  were  members  of 
the  Congregational  church,  in  this  town,  in  the  year  1790, 
(LydiaWilson  and  PollyDunster,)  and  but  two  who  were  at  that 
time  at  the  head  of  a  family,  (widow  Withington  and  James 
Wethec.)  0  how  often  have  we  all  been  admonished  to  prepare 
for  death,  and  for  that  judgment  which  is  after  death.  Death 
doth  not  select  his  victims  among  the  aged,  but  often  levels 
his  arrow  at  the  fairest  blooming  youth.  Let  such  another 
period,  as  we  arc  contemplating,  pass  away,  and  few,  if  any, 
of  the  present  active  inhabitants  of  this  town,  will  be  on 
earth. 

Be  not  offended,  then,  with  one  who  has  passed  the  greater 
part  of  his  short  life  with  you,  and  whose  glass  of  life  is  just 
run  out,  who  would  affectionately  entreat  you  to  consider 
your  latter  end — would  direct  your  attention  to  the  end  of 
time,  and  to  your  present  preparation  to  die.  0  remember, 
Christ  in  you  is  the  hope  of  glory,  and  the  only  hope  that 
will  not  fail.  Look  away  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  as  the  only 
savior  of  sinners — go  to  him  as  sinners — go  without  delay. 
Or  if  you  have  already  made  Christ  all  your  salvation,  let 
him  have  your  heart — let  him  have  your  life,  and  then  when 
you  shall  have  done  with  all  things  here  below,  you  will  not 


REV.   EBENEZEB    HILL.  Ill 

only  rest  from  all  your  labors  in  the  peaceful  grave,  but  you 
will  live  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  love  and  favor  of  Christ, 
forever  and  ever.  Your  friend  prays  that  your  future  history, 
may  be  pleasantly  instructive  to  all  who  come  after  you ;  and 
may  your  last  end  be  peace. 


112  MEMOIR   OP   THE 


LIST  OF  PUBLISHED  DISCOURSES. 


The  following  list  includes,  it  is  believed,  all  the  published 
discourses  of  Mr.  Hill. 

1.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  April  11,  1803,  at  the 
funeral  of  Miss  Persis  Lawrence,  daughter  of  Mr.  Stephen 
Lawrence,  aged  23  years.     Text  Eccl.   8    :    8.      Printed   at 
Amherst,  by  Joseph  Gushing. 

2.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  March  22,  1805,  at  the 
funeral  of  Miss  Hannah  Lawrence,  daughter  of  Stephen  Law- 
rence, Esq.     Aged  26  years.     Text,  Psalm  90  :  12.     Printed 
at  Ainherst,  by  Joseph  Gushing. 

3.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  July  18,  1805,  at  the 
funeral  of  Mr.  Luther  Lawrence,  son  of    Stephen  Lawrence, 
Esq.,  aged  twenty  years.     Text  1  Cor.  15  :    21.     Printed  at 
Amhcrst,  by  Joseph  Gushing. 

4.  A  sermon  delivered  at  New  Ipswich,  June  3d,  1811,  at 
the  funeral  of  Miss  Ruthy  Bachelder.     Text,  Psalm  88  :  7,  8, 
18. 

5.  A  sermon  delivered  at  New  Ipswich,  August  6th,  1811r 
at  the  funeral  of  William   Kimball  Bachelder.     Text,  Eccl. 
9  :  12;  with  an  appendix,  containing  a  sketch  of  the  life  of 
Miss  Bachelder,  and  extracts  from  her  letters  and  papers. 
Printed   at  Boston,  by  Munroe  and  Francis.     Sermons  and 
appendix,  pp.  48. 

6.  A  sermon  delivered  at  New  Ipswich,  September  22, 
1815,  at  the  funeral  of  Miss  Clarissa  Davis.     Text,  Eccl.  9    : 
4;  with  an  appendix,  containing  extracts  from  her  diary  and 
letters,  by  the  Rev.  Richard  Hall.     Printed  at  Boston,  by 
Samuel  T.  Armstrong. 


REV.   EBENEZER  HILL.  113 

7.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  May  16th,  1817,  at  the 
funeral  of  Mrs.  Mary  Blodgett,  wife  of   John  Blodgett,  Esq. 
who  was  instantly  killed  by  being  thrown  from  a  wagon. 
Text,  Ezekiel   24    :    18.     Printed  at  Amherst,  by  Richard 
Boylston. 

8.  A  sermon   delivered   at  Brookline,  November    27th 
1817,  at  the  interment  of  the  remains  of   the  Rev.  Lemuel 
Wadsworth,   pastor   of   the   Congregational   church  in  that 
place.     Text,  2  Cor.  5  :  1.     Printed  at  Amherst,  by  Richard 
Boylston. 

9.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  August  28th,  1826,  at 
the  funeral  of  Joseph  Addison  Robbins,  son  of  Joseph  B. 
Robbins  and  Hannah  his  wife.     Text,  Jer.  9    :    21.     Printed 
at  New  Ipswich,  by  Salmon  Wilder. 

10.  A  funeral  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  on  Lord's  Day, 
December   10th,   1826,  occasioned  by  the   death   of    Capt. 
Hiram  Smith,  who  deceased  December  6th,  1826,  aged  twenty- 
five  years.     Text,  Job  21  :  23 — 26.     Printed  at  Amherst,  at 
the  Cabinet  press. 

11.  A  sermon  delivered  at  Mason,  at  the  house  of  James 
TVood,  Esq.,  November  4th,  1835,  being  on  the  completing  of 
his  eightieth  year.     Text,  Psalm  90    :  9 — 12.     New  Ipswich, 
printed  at  the  News  Gatherers's  office. 

12.  A  sermon  preached  at  Ashby,  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Jacob  Cowdry,  on  the  birth  day  of  Mrs.  Tabitha  Pearson, 
who  then   completed   the  one  hundredth  year  of  her  age. 
Text,  2  Sam.  19    :  34,  35,  37.     Amherst,  printed  by  Richard 
Boylston. 

13.  The   substance   of   two  lectures  on  the  History  of 
Mason,  delivered  before  the  Lyceum  in  Mason  village,  Febru- 
ary,   1846.     Printed  at  Fitchburg,  by  W.  J.  Merriam. 

These,  with  some  contributions  to  the  Medical  and  Agri- 
cultural Register,  a  periodical  conducted  by  Dr.  Daniel 
Adams,  and  some  occasional  communications  to  the  Farmer's 
Cabinet,  a  newspaper  published  at  Amherst,  N.  H.,  comprise 
all  his  printed  works,  so  far  as  is  known  at  this  time. 


la  a  family  monument  of  native  granite,  erected  in  the  old 
grave  yard,  is  inserted  a  marble  tablet,  with  an  inscription, 
of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

HIS  CHURCH  AND  PEOPLE   DEVOTE  THIS 
TABLET  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF   THE 

REV,  EBENEZER  HILL, 

BORN  IN  CAMBRIDGE,  JAN.  31,  1766. 
GRADUATED     AT     HARVARD    COLLEGE,     1786. 

ORDAINED  PASTOR  OF  THE  CHURCH, 
AND    MINISTER    OF     THE    TOWN    OF    MASON, 
NOVEMBER  3,  1790. 

DIED  MAY  20,  1854,  IN  THE    89th    YEAR    OF    HIS 
AGE,  AND  THE  64th  OF  HIS    MINISTRY. 

A  FAITHFUL  SERVANT,  HE  DEVOTED  HIS 
TIME  AND  STRENGTH  TO  THE  WORK  OF  HIS 
LORD  AND  MASTER;  READY  AT  ALL  TIMES 
TO  DIRECT  THE  ENQUIRING,  TO  CHEER  THE 
DOUBTING,  TO  WARN  THE  SINFUL,  TO  VISIT  THE 
SICK  AND  AFFLICTED,  AND  OFFER  TO  THEM 
THE  COMFORT  AND  SUPPORT  OF  RELIGION; 
AFTER  A  LONG  LIFE  OF  USEFULNESS,  HE 
DEPARTED  IN  PEACE,  HUMBLY  TRUSTING  TO 
RECEIVE  THE  WELCOME  MESSAGE,  WELL  DONE 
GOOD  AND  FAITHFUL  SERVANT,  ENTER  THOU 
INTO  THE  JOY  OF  THY  LORD. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L'J-50wi-4,'61(B8994s4)444 


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